engi 1331h computerbasics

8/13/2019 ENGI 1331H ComputerBasics

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Computers & Problem Solving

Computer asics

ENGI 1331H

University of Houston

Diana de la Rosa-Pohl


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Bits and Bytes

Information in a computer is represented in binary.A bit is a single binary digit (1 or 0).A byte is a basic chunk of 8 bits, e.g., 01111010.A word might be 16 bits, 32 bits, or whatever,

depending on the of the processor.

Common (and VERY important) abbreviations are: 1 KB = 1 kilobyte = 1024 B = 210 bytes

1 MB = 1 megabyte = 1024 KB = 220 bytes 1 GB = 1 gigabyte = 1024 MB = 230 bytes

What is the difference between a Mb and a MB?


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Bits and Bytes

What ARE these bit and bytes, actually?

How do we (people) communicate withhardware?

What are programs?


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Hardware and Software

Hardware: The cabinet, power supply, internalprocessor, disk drives, memory, etc., all comprisethe hardware of the computer, and are gettingsmaller and cheaper.

Software: The programs written for the computerwhich instruct it to perform certain operations arecalled software, and software is getting bigger and

more complex all the time, requiring more andmore hardware resources.


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Hardware or Software?

Printer

Windows 2000

Word

Router

Monitor DVD drive

Floppy Drive

PowerPoint

Browser

Network Card

Microprocessor

Power Supply

Computer Games

Outlook

Facebook

Excel

Quicken or Money

Memory (RAM)

Blu-ray Disc


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Applications

Users and third-party developers can write programs,or applications, that run in the environmentprovided by the operating system. It is theseapplications which make the computer useful.

Applications allow users to perform:

word processing (Ex: _______________)

drawing (Ex: _______________)

manipulate databases (Ex: _______________)

engineering analysis and design (Ex: _______________)

Why do we need programs to make a computer useful?


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In the Beginning

ComputerHardware


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Inputs

Think about how you would build the circuitshown below. (Remember your switches?)


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Inputs

Name some common modern means to getinput information into a computer.


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The Transistor

Three-Terminal

Two-State

on

off

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transistor

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Transistor_NPN_symbol.png
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transistorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transistor


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Outputs

So what might an output circuit look like?


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FYI

One bit of memory (SRAM) CMOS transistors used

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Static_random_access_memory


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Outputs

Name some common modern means to getoutput information to a human.


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In the Beginning

ComputerHardware


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Enter, the Operating System

CPU

Operating System


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Operating Systems

Name some modern operating systems.

How do they differ from applications? (or

do they?)


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Operating System

The most important software program is theoperating system, which controls all otherprograms on the computer, providing a filesystem and a way for the user to

interactively issue commands to theoperating system.

Examples: Microsoft Windows NT, Mac OS X,and various flavors of UNIX (Sun Solaris,Digital UNIX, Linux).


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Microprocessors (CPUs)

What does it mean to be a 32-bit processor? from previous example:

00100000010000010000000001100100

for every 32-bit input string (any combination of

32 bits), the processor has a predeterminedoperation to perform

What does it mean to be a 3 GHz (3*1032 Hz)

machine? ideally, for every 3.33x10-33 seconds (1 / 3x1032)

a new command is performed think about that for a minute!


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Simple Computer Example

Input Switches Output LEDs

7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

ADD 0 1

0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1

SUB 3 11 0 1 0 0 1 1 1

MUL 4 7

1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0

DIV 6 2


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Addition

Programs & Compilers

CPU

c = a + 100;

addi $1, $2, 100

00100000010000010000000001100100

103

(assuming that a=3)


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Our System

You are here!

LabView

Atmel 32-bit ARM processor48 MHz

NXT Firmware

sensors motors

XP Operating SystemUSB

BT

Labview

Intel 32-bit Celeron processor2 GHZ

USB

BT


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COMPUTER BASICS

Lets Review


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Five Classic Components of a Computer

Control

Datapath

Memory

Processor

Input

Output

1. CPU (control)

2. Bus (datapath)

3. Memory

4. Input

5. Output

Memory(Registers)

Hard Drive

Cache

RAM


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Five Classic Components of a Computer

Control

Datapath

Memory

ProcessorInput

Output

Control

Datapath

Memory

ProcessorInput

Output

Network

Peripheral Devices

http://www.cs.ucla.edu/classes/spring02/csM151B/l2/handout/set11.ppt

1. CPU (control)

2. Bus (datapath)3. Memory

4. Input

5. Output


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Engineering Computing Center

The Engineering Computing Centerhasthese computers for your use: Dell and Compaq PCs (Windows NT)

DEC/Compaq and Sun workstations (UNIX)

The ECC is open 7 days/week. Hours areposted.

The Help Desk is the place to getinformation, get accounts, report problems,etc.
http://ecc.egr.uh.edu/http://ecc.egr.uh.edu/


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ECC Website:

http://ecc.egr.uh.edu/
http://ecc.egr.uh.edu/http://ecc.egr.uh.edu/


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Accounts

As an Engineering student, you should automatically

accounts on: Cougarnet

Engineering UNIX system

Campus mail server (mail.uh.edu)

If you ever have your password reset on any system,it resets to the default password (on that system only!)

You can reset your passwords online at the IT website (look under Quick Links): http://www.uh.edu/infotech/
http://www.uh.edu/infotech/http://www.uh.edu/infotech/


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Account Security

Your computer account is for your use only.

Do not let anyone else use your account!

Keep yourpassword secret.

Do not give it out to anyone! This includes authorized IT personnel;

they will not need to have your password andwill not ask for it.

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