Computer Architecture Notes

Input Devices

• Keyboard
• Mouse/Trackpad
• Screen
• Camera
• Microphone
• Graphics Tablets
• Barcode Reader
• Gamepad
• Joystick
• Keyboard (Piano)
• Scanner
• Webcam
• Touchpads
• Pen Input
• Electronics Whiteboard
• Magnetic Key Cards

Output Devices

• Screen Monitor
• Printers
• Plotters
• Projector
• LCD Projection Panels
• Computer Output Microfilm
• Speakers
• Radios

Both

• Moderns
• Network Cards
• Touch Screen
• Hedsets
• Speakers
• Audio Cards
• Sound Cards
• USB
• Fax Machine

RAM (random access memory) is a volatile memory, meaning it erases all the memory when the power is switched off. It stores the current programs and data. 

CPU (Central Processing Unit) is into Control Unit and ALU

ALU (arithmetic logic unit) performs arithmetic operations and evaluates logical statements true or false.

Control Unit oversees the execution of the program statement after statement. 

Computer Architecture Diagram

Fundamentals of Computer Architecture

• What gives life to this laptop?
• It's the electricity!
• use the power button
• the zero is for off, the one is for on
• Binary was chosen for the two states
• on and off
• 0 is called a bit
• 1 is called a bit
• 8 bits make up 1 byte
• the unit of computer memory is a byte
• Every symbol on this keyboard is called a Character
• letters a-z, numbers, shift, space, special symbols
• Example: A = 0100 1100 (not true, just an example)
• see, it's 8 bits!
• It goes through pulses of electricity
• every 1 says go, every 0 says no
• Every symbol has its own pulse
• When you press a key on the keyboard, electricity moves from the key in patterns
• If you press one key down wrong, it doesn't work
• Programming Languages are a little bit like English
• Java, C, C++, Python
• { Begin } End
• Computers need to process information
• like we use translators to translate from english to other languages, computers use their translator to translate from code to binary
• Compiler
• It goes through the source code and points out any errors and when the entire source code is correct, it will convert into zeros and one
• Machine Language
• interpreter
• It goes through the source code and points out any errors and when the entire source code is correct, it will convert it line by line, statement by statement
• Source Code ---> Compiler or Interpreter ---> Object Code
• HLL (High Level Languages)
• like Java, C++, Python
• Binary Code/Lang
• machine code/Lang
• Lang = Language
• Systems Program
• Driver Program
• Connection between the printer and the computer
• Application Program
• Hospital Management System
• Banking System