Transcript CSC 150 UNGRADED QUIZ - Concordia University Wisconsin

INTRODUCTION
TO
COMPUTER SCIENCE
What are computers and
what do they do?
What is a computer system?
What is a computer?
 1. Class suggestions and discussion.
 2. A rough definition.
 A computer is a tool which solves problems
by processing data into information.
What do computers do?
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

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1. Input data.
2. Process data (“number crunching”).
3. Follow instructions.
4. Store data for later use.
5. Produce output (in various formats).
Analogy with Bible:
Read, Think About, Remember, Allow it to
shape your thoughts, attitudes and life.
How is the word “Computer”
ambiguous?
 1. Special purpose computers.
 2. General purpose computers.
 3. Limitations of special purpose
computers.
 4. Advantages of general purpose
computers.
Defining characteristics of a
general purpose computer.
 1. Separation of instructions (Software)
from physical device (hardware).
 2. Programmable (support variability of
programming).
 3. In this course “computer” means
“general purpose computer.”
What is a Computer System?
 More than just the computer. Everything
necessary to make the computer work:
 A. Hardware (H/W).
 B. Software (S/W).
 C. People.
A. Hardware (H/W).
 1. H/W =
 the physical components of the computer
system which make things happen (analogy:
gas pedal in a car).
 What does this look like -- Hardware Block
diagram.
H/W Block diagram.
PROCESSOR UNIT
+-------------+
+--------------+
¦
¦
¦
¦
¦INPUT
¦
¦
CPU
¦
¦e.g. keyboard¦
¦
¦
+-------------+
+--------------¦
¦
MAIN
¦
¦
MEMORY
¦
¦
¦
+--------------+
|
+-------------------+
¦ AUXILIARY STORAGE ¦
¦ e.g. disk drive
¦
+-------------------+
+---------+
¦ OUTPUT ¦
¦ e.g.
¦
¦ printer ¦
¦
¦
+---------+
B. Software (S/W).
 1. S/W =
 Instructions for H/W.
 Mind / Body analogy. Decide to run:
instruct body to run, body runs.
 2. 3 layers of S/W:
 A. Systems S/W.
 B. Programming Languages.
 C. Applications Packages.
C. People.
 Why are people needed in or important to
computer systems?
 Supply data, instructions. People have
problems which need to be solved e.g.
investment projection, safety simulation,
administration of medicine.
 What are the three types of people directly
involved in computer systems?
3 types of “computer” people.
 No, not the borg, and not even
 Sam Donaldson.
 1. Users.

What do they do?
 2. Programmers.

What do they do?
 3. Computer scientists?

What do they do?
What is Computer Science?
 What is it not?
 1. Not the study of computers, any more
than astronomy is the study of telescopes.
 2. Not merely programming.
 3. Not merely using programs.
What is Computer Science?
 What is it?
 The study of algorithms (step-by-step
solutions to problems).
 Algorithms are:
 (1) translated into software
 (2) run on hardware
 (3) solve problems for people (users and
society).