EmTech WW1 (Topic 2)

• ● Storing records the results of the execution in memory.
• Computer Literacy: BASICS, a comprehensive guide to IC 3, 5th Edition, Lesson 2 focuses on Software and Hardware Interaction.
• Windows Update is a tool provided in the Control Panel, which is a window containing specialized tools you use to change the way Windows looks and behaves.
• The objectives of Lesson 2 include identifying hardware components that affect computer performance, understanding how the central processing unit (CPU) processes software instructions, describing types of computer memory, understanding system requirements, explaining the purpose of software updates, and using Windows Update to keep the operating system up to date.
• Key words in Lesson 2 include arithmetic/logic unit (ALU), byte, cache, central processing unit (CPU), circuit board, clock speed, control unit, execution cycle (E-cycle), gigahertz (GHz), instruction cycle (I-cycle), machine cycle, megahertz (MHz), motherboard, multicore processor, multiprocessing, multithreading, nonvolatile memory, read-only memory (ROM), register, system unit, thrashing, volatile memory.
• Performance in computers is measured by how efficiently hardware and software complete tasks.
• The system unit is the case that contains a computer’s main system components.
• The computer’s main circuit board is called the motherboard.
• A circuit board is a thin metal plate with an extensive electronic circuit.
• All of the essential chips and the circuitry that connects them are on the motherboard.
• The central processing unit (CPU) is a single computer chip that contains all the electronic circuitry a computer needs to process data.
• A chip is a small, thin piece of silicon containing electronic circuits, which is why a chip is called an integrated circuit (IC).
• The arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) performs arithmetic calculations and logical operations.
• The control unit coordinates all the processor’s activities and manages the flow of information through the processor.
• Registers are memory cells for temporarily storing data needed by the ALU to perform its calculations.
• Task Manager gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how Windows is interacting with hardware resources and other software.
• Software is constantly changing to keep up with hardware developments and user requests.
• Personal and mobile operating systems provide tools to keep the operating systems up to date by contacting a server and then downloading the files containing the updates.
• If you purchased the original version of the software, you can download a patch, an update, or a service pack from the Internet.
• Software developers use version numbers to keep track of the software they release.
• The original software is assigned version 1.0.
• Software is also revised to address problems.
• System and application software often include tools for managing updates.
• Optional Hardware Requirements are features designed for particular hardware.
• Installing means to move a copy of the software from its distribution location (such as a Web site) to your computer.
• An automatic update feature checks for updates and then downloads them when they are available.
• Windows Update can download three types of updates.
• The CPU carries out software instructions by repeating four basic operations in the machine cycle.
• In Windows, you use Windows Update to check for the latest updates to Windows and to review your update settings.
• System requirements are hardware characteristics such as the amount of memory and the processor speed.
• When developers make major improvements, add new features, or change the software design, the new versions are called upgrades and are numbered 2.0, 3.0, and so on.
• Performance Indicators are hardware characteristics such as the amount of memory and the processor speed.
• When performing a manual update, you download and install the updates yourself.
• Fetching and decoding make up the instruction cycle (I-cycle).
• A single-core processor can enhance performance using multitasking and multithreading.
• Each processor can work on a different task at the same time.
• Clock speed is stated in megahertz (MHz) , which is a million cycles per second, and gigahertz (GHz) , which is a billion cycles per second.
• If a computer contains a multicore processor, the operating system can use multiprocessing to split tasks among the processors.
• Bit Size is another measure of CPU performance, which is how many bytes of data the CPU can retrieve from RAM at once.
• A 32-bit CPU can process 4 bytes at once.