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Learning Path: Basic Computer Concepts

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So that you can give yourself quick tutorials on basic computer concepts, the history of computing, and the parts of a computer, we've arranged our topics (definitions) in a sequence, with more basic building block topics placed at the beginning.

BASIC CONCEPTS ... computer - binary - digital - program - instruction - I/O - information - data - bit - byte - octet - nibble - hexadecimal - word - file - directory - hardware - software - interrupt - workstation - minicomputer - mainframe - supercomputer - client/server - wait state - real time - parallel processing

HISTORY ... abacus - algorithm - Boolean (George Boole) - Charles Babbage - Difference Engine - Analytical Engine - Claude Shannon - John von Neumann - Vannevar Bush - Grace Hopper - DARPA - ARPANET - Internet - Multics - 3270 - x86 - @ - Mosaic - Netscape - Microsoft Internet Explorer

PARTS OF A COMPUTER: LEVEL 1 ... computer - desktop computer - notebook computer - processor - microprocessor - memory - RAM - ROM - hard disk - diskette - display - I/O - keyboard - mouse - printer - CD-ROM - modem - video adapter - sound card - Accelerated Graphics Port - peripheral - real-time clock - ABCD data switch - handheld - Zip drive

PARTS OF A COMPUTER: LEVEL 2 ... central processing unit (CPU) - arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) - floating-point unit (FPU) - motherboard - daughterboard - chassis - bus - EISA - PCI - IDE - EIDE - surge suppressor - radiation shield

View other topics for self-study by visiting our Guide to the Learning Paths .

This was last updated in January 2006

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