- Earliest computers were invented over 800 years ago by the Chinese. They were know as abacuses (Color Beads), and relied completely on mathematical computations.
- 19th Century Computers
Charles Babbage: designed punch cards which made calculations with the assistance of a memory bank. Printed technology did not realize his genius.
- The credit went to Herman Hollerith, who made a device that was designed for data processing. Was created to tabulate the 1890 Census in the US.
-The first modern computer was built by Professor John Atanasoff, from Iowa University. (Funded by the federal government & had the capability of binary arithmetic, parallel processing, separate memory, regenerative memory, regenerative memory, & basic computer function.

This technology was passed on to John Mauchly & John Presper Eckert who developed the Electronic Numerical Integrator & Company (ENIAC). This device was built at the University of Pennsylvania, Moore School of Electrical Engineering.

Bit- the smallest piece of data containing 1 or 0

Review examples in Ch. 2
-Nibble
-Byte
-Double Word
-Kilobyte
-Megabyte
-Gigabyte
-Terabyte

Hardware: composed of components that are physical and/or tangible in nature.

Common additional devices: scanners, zip drives, modems, wireless routers, monitors, keyboards, printers, external storage devices

Divided into Input & Output Devices:

Input devices: modems, keyboards, mice, scanners, & zip drives

Output devices: central processing unit (CPU), motherboard, PC cards (hard drives, network interface cards, modems, SCSI, CD-ROM, & audio & graphic cards)
Buses(transfer bits of data simultaneously)

3 Types of Media Storage:

1. RAM - Random Access Memory (volatile & temporary)
2. ROM - Read Only Memory (set of instructions for programs, non-volatile, permanent (may be changed))
3. Hard Disk Drives - Mass storage devices that "permanently store information we intend to keep

Other medial storage devices:
Floppy's (old), CD's & DVD's, & Flash Drives

Software: is a series of instructions that performs a particular task.

- Hardware is useless without software
- Needs tasks, functions, and capabilities
- It tells how to interact with user

Three types:
1. Boot sequence- start-up steps
2. Operating System- Most important, written in C or C++ language, runs applications and communicates with hardware
3. Application software- loaded programs & security

Alternatives to DOS

Popular Operating Systems:

Microsoft Windows
-Most commercially used

Macintosh
-Created by Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniak in 1976
-First to incorporate all aspects of their computer, from video, audio, and software

Unix
-Created by Bell Lab in 1969
-Initially designed for large computer systems
-Favored by hackers & computer experts

Linux
-Developed in the 1990's by Richard Stallman, founder of the GNU project
- Free operating system
-Can customize the "Kernel" (backbone of the OS) and tailor it to your hardware

A set of pre-packaged instructions that allows users to perform functions.

Source Code: set of instructions written in programming language

Object Code: what is executed by computers

Malware: code that damages computers

Trap Doors: allows a user to enter without authorization

Trojan Horse: can be triggered with a hidden feature (email)

Virus: attaches or inserts itself into a file or boot sector of a hard disk drive & copies & replicates itself by attaching to other programs (COM or EXE files)

Worms/Host Computer Worms/Network Worms: self-contained programs that spread copies of themselves through networks (Infests machine space, does not have to attach itself to a program)

Droppers: programs created to avoid anti-virus detection through encryption

Bombs/Time Bombs: built into malware & activated to commence at a certain time

TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol

IMAP- Internet Message Access Protocol

Routers- Allows the exchange of code between two or more networks

Hubs- Central switching units for multiple computer connections

Packets- Units of packets exchanged between host computers

Cookies- Small pieces of information that HTTP sends for connections (stored on individual's hard drive for web site retrieval)

Domains- Tells browsers which host name cookies should be returned to

DNS- (Domain Name System) A group of computers on a network tha thave a common IP address

Intranets: small local networks that connect computers within one local organization (BCSO)

Internets: connects several large networks

Internet: consists of the largest network in the world

Dial-up Connections: connections made by modem through a telephone line in order to access the Internet

Baud: old bandwidth connection rates

DSL (Digital Subscriber Lines)

Cable Modems

Dedicated Lines:
- Introduced in the 1990's & used copper telephone lines
- Used by companies in order to gain direct access
- Uses T1 or T-1 Carrier
- Easy for hackers to compromise
- Hackers probe these systems (in search for open access points)

World Wide Web: used as electronic storefront where businesses, individuals, civic groups, and governments market both tangible & intangible products

Newsgroups/Bulletin Boards/Usenet Groups: communication posting boards where users can post & respond to anything of interest (First Amendment Rights)

Internet Relay Chat (IRC): online discussion in chat rooms where users can talk as long as they want & discuss whatever topic they choose

Instant Messaging (IM): uses many different communication devices; can talk in real time format; many multimedia functions included; new media driven society