Week 1: Introduction to IT

There’s a big problem
in the world right now. There are hundreds of thousands of
IT support jobs just waiting for skilled candidates to fill them. They’re available at this very moment and
there are companies, large and small, that really want to hire motivated people. With technology seeping into
nearly every aspect of business, that need is growing by the second,
but that’s just half the story. There are lots of people around the world,
like you, who are looking for a flexible way to learn the skills necessary to
get that entry level IT support role. But there might be a few
obstacles in the way. Maybe you don’t have a university
degree or the access or flexibility to take in-person trainings,
or maybe the cost is just too high. Whatever the reason you’re looking for an accessible hands-on way to learn
the skills that companies are hiring for. This program is designed to give
you the foundational skills and confidence required for
entry level IT support role. Whether that’s doing in-person support or
remote support or both. What’s really special about this program
is that learners get a hands-on experience through a dynamic mix of labs and other interactive exercises, just like
what you’d encounter and help this role. This curriculum is designed
to get you job ready, but we’re taking it one step further. When you complete this program,
you’ll have your opportunity to share your information with Google,
Bank of America and other top employers looking to hire
entry level IT support professionals. This program has been designed to teach
anyone who’s interested in learning the foundational skills in IT support,
doesn’t matter if you’ve been tinkering with IT on your own or
you’re completely new to the field. We’ll bring the content developed entirely
by Googlers and you bring the passion and motivation to learn it. Here’s how we’re going to get there. This program is rooted in the belief that
a strong foundation in IT support can serve as a launchpad to
a meaningful career in IT. And so
we’ve designed industry relevant courses, technical support fundamentals,
computer networking, operating systems, system administration IT Infrastructure
services and IT security. If you dedicate around eight to
ten hours a week to the courses, we anticipate that you complete
the certificate in about eight months. And learning this stuff won’t be like
your typical classroom experience. You can move the material at your own
pace, skip content that you might already know, or review the lessons
again if you need a refresher. It’s a choose your own
adventure experience. Plus we think that the length is a strong
signal to employers that you have the grit and persistence it takes to succeed
in an ever changing field like IT. Another really cool part about this
program is that it’s been created entirely by real world pros who have
a strong background in IT support. They work in IT fields like operations,
engineering, security, site reliability engineering and
systems administration. They know this content because
they live it every day. Along the way you’re going to hear from
Googlers with unique backgrounds and perspectives. They’ll share how their foundation in IT
support served as a jumping off point for their careers. They also give you a glimpse into
the day to day work along with tips on how to approach IT support interviews. They’ll even share personal obstacles
that they’ve overcome in inspiring ways. They’re excited to go on this journey
with you as you invest in your future by achieving an end of program certificate. Last but not least, we gathered a truly
amazing group of course instructors for you to learn from. They’ve all worked in IT
support at Google and are excited to guide you through
the content step by step. Ready to meet them? They’re all really excited to meet you. My name is Kevin Limehouse and
I’m a support specialist for platforms in Double Click. I’m going to o present the history
of computing in course one. >> I’m victor Escobedo and
I’m a corporate operations engineer. We’ll meet in the lessons on the Internet
in the first course of technical support fundamentals. Then, I’ll be your instructor for
course two, the bits and bytes of computer networking. >> Hey I’m Cindy Coatch, and
I work in site reliability engineering. I’ll be teaching you about operating
systems in course one, and then take you through a much deeper
dive in OS’s in course three, operating systems in you
becoming a power user. >> My name is Devin Tree Darren and I work in corporate operations
engineering at Google. We’re going to cover all the hardware and
even build a computer in course one. We’ll meet again when I teach course four, systems administration in
IT infrastructure services. >> Hey everyone,
my name is Phelan Vanderbilt and I’m a systems engineer on
Google site reliability team. I’m excited to teach the software
lessons to you in course one. >> Hi, my name is Gian Spicuzza and
I’m a program manager in Android security. I’m going to teach you about the history
and the impact of the Internet in course one, and then I’ll be your instructor for
the last course of this program IT security,
defense against the digital dark arts. >> Hi my name is Marti Clark and I’m a manager with Google’s
internal IT support team. I’ll be teaching you about
troubleshooting, customer service, and documentation in course one. >> Hey there, my name is Rob Cliffton and
I’m a program manager at Google. I’m going to share a few tips on how to
have a successful interview in course one, and present technical interview scenarios
at the end of each course throughout this program.

What is IT?

Information technology (IT) is the use of computers, software, and other technologies to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data. IT is used in a variety of industries, including business, government, education, and healthcare.

What does an IT professional do?

An IT professional is someone who works in the field of information technology. IT professionals can work in a variety of roles, such as software developer, systems administrator, network engineer, and IT security analyst.

What are the different types of IT careers?

There are many different types of IT careers, each with its own set of skills and responsibilities. Some of the most common IT careers include:

• Software developer: Software developers design, develop, and test software applications.
• Systems administrator: Systems administrators install, configure, and maintain computer systems and networks.
• Network engineer: Network engineers design, install, and maintain computer networks.
• IT security analyst: IT security analysts protect computer systems and networks from unauthorized access.
• IT project manager: IT project managers oversee the development and implementation of IT projects.

What are the skills needed for an IT career?

The skills needed for an IT career vary depending on the specific role. However, some of the most common skills needed for IT careers include:

• Technical skills: IT professionals need to have strong technical skills, such as programming, networking, and security.
• Problem-solving skills: IT professionals need to be able to identify and solve problems.
• Communication skills: IT professionals need to be able to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Teamwork skills: IT professionals often work as part of a team, so they need to be able to collaborate effectively with others.

How to become an IT professional?

There are many ways to become an IT professional. Some people get a degree in computer science or information technology, while others get a certification from a professional organization. There are also many online courses and boot camps that can teach you the skills you need for an IT career.

What is the future of IT?

The field of IT is constantly evolving, so it is important for IT professionals to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. Some of the most promising areas of IT include:

• Cloud computing: Cloud computing is the delivery of IT services over the internet.
• Artificial intelligence: Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of machines to learn and mimic human intelligence.
• Big data: Big data is the collection and analysis of large amounts of data.
• Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity is the protection of computer systems and networks from unauthorized access.

The field of IT is a vast and ever-changing field, but it is also a field with a lot of potential for growth and innovation. If you are interested in a career in IT, there are many opportunities available.

Welcome to course one,
technical support fundamentals. My name is Kevin Limehouse and
I work as a support specialist for platforms building Doubleclick at Google. Looking back I can trace
from my passion for IT began to an actual moment
when I was eight years old. And my parents were about to throw
their old busted computer but I managed to convince my
mom to let me keep it. I remember the moment when I
slowly started disassembling it, kept digging deeper and deeper, unscrewing
every little piece I can get my hands on, and I was hooked. By the time I was 12 or 13 years old
I became the de facto IT support for my entire family, and that’s no small feat considering I have
11 aunts and uncles and over 35 cousins. My parents both grew up in very
small rural towns in South Carolina. Growing up in the Jim Crow South
through the mid 1950’s and 1960’s, they were taught
at an early age that one of the better methods to get
ahead was through education. This lesson was instilled in me and
my sister and I ended up going to university
to study computer science. I graduated school right at the end
of the 2007 and 2009 recession, but thankfully I secured a job at Google and
IT support where I work with users solving their issues and
supporting the IT inventory. And now I’ve been working in IT for
seven years. And my current role is to support
specialists, I provide technical and building support to Google sales teams,
which involves everything from troubleshooting to creating forms or
editing automation scripts. And now you know a little bit about me,
let’s start from the beginning. What is Information Technology? Information technology has completely
transformed your life in ways that you may not even realize. Thanks to IT we can communicate massive
amounts of information to people and organizations across the world
in the blink of an eye. Computers power everything from
calculators, to medical equipment, to complex satellite systems, and
the trading desk of Wall Street. They’re powerful and invaluable tools
that help people get their work done and enable us to connect with one another. So what exactly is information technology? IT is essentially the use of digital
technology like computers on the Internet to store and
process data into useful information. The IT industry refers to the entire
scope of all the jobs and resources that are related to
computing technologies within society. And there are a lot of different
types of jobs in this field. From network engineers who ensure
computers can communicate with each other, to hardware technicians who replace and
repair components, to desktop support personnel who make sure that end users
can use their software properly. But IT isn’t just about building
computers and using the Internet, it’s really about the people. That’s the heart and
soul of IT support work. What good is technology or information
if people can’t use technology or make sense of the information? IT helps people solve meaningful problems
by using technology which is why you’ll see its influences in education,
medicine, journalism, construction, transportation, entertainment, or
really any industry on the planet. IT is about changing the world through
the ways we collaborate, share, and create together. IT has become such a vital tool
in modern society that people and organizations who don’t have access
to IT are at a disadvantage. IT skills are becoming necessary for
day to day living. Like finding a job, getting an education,
and looking up your health information. Maybe you’re from a community where there
wasn’t any Internet or you couldn’t afford a super fast computer and had to use
one at your school or library instead. There are many social and economic reasons
why some people have digital literacy skills and other people do not. This growing skills gap is
known as the digital divide. People without digital literacy
skills are falling behind. But people like you are the real solution
to bridging that digital divide. Overcoming the digital divide,
not only involves confronting and understanding the combination of
socio-economic factors that shape our experience, but also helping others
confront and understand those experiences. By getting into IT you’ll help serve those
in your communities, organizations, and maybe even inspire a new
generation of IT pioneers. When I think about solving
the digital divide, I can’t help but think of all the opportunities and
breakthroughs that folks from diverse backgrounds and
perspectives in the industry can bring.

What does an IT Support Specialist do?

An IT Support Specialist is a technical professional who provides support to users of computer systems and networks. They troubleshoot problems, install software, and provide training to users. IT Support Specialists may work in a variety of settings, such as businesses, schools, and government agencies.

What are the responsibilities of an IT Support Specialist?

The responsibilities of an IT Support Specialist vary depending on the organization they work for and the specific role they play. However, some common responsibilities include:

• Troubleshooting computer problems: IT Support Specialists help users resolve problems with their computer systems and networks. This may involve diagnosing the problem, installing updates, or resetting passwords.
• Installing software: IT Support Specialists install and configure software on computer systems. This may include installing operating systems, applications, and security software.
• Providing training to users: IT Support Specialists provide training to users on how to use computer systems and software. This may involve teaching users how to use new software, how to troubleshoot problems, or how to use the computer for specific tasks.
• Maintaining computer systems: IT Support Specialists maintain computer systems by performing regular backups, installing security updates, and monitoring performance.
• Documenting procedures: IT Support Specialists document procedures for troubleshooting problems, installing software, and providing training. This documentation can be used by other IT Support Specialists or by users who need to troubleshoot problems on their own.

What are the skills needed to be an IT Support Specialist?

The skills needed to be an IT Support Specialist vary depending on the organization they work for and the specific role they play. However, some common skills needed for IT Support Specialists include:

• Technical skills: IT Support Specialists need to have strong technical skills, such as troubleshooting, problem-solving, and networking.
• Communication skills: IT Support Specialists need to be able to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Problem-solving skills: IT Support Specialists need to be able to identify and solve problems.
• Customer service skills: IT Support Specialists need to be able to provide excellent customer service to users.
• Teamwork skills: IT Support Specialists often work as part of a team, so they need to be able to collaborate effectively with others.

How to become an IT Support Specialist?

There are many ways to become an IT Support Specialist. Some people get a degree in computer science or information technology, while others get a certification from a professional organization. There are also many online courses and boot camps that can teach you the skills you need for an IT Support Specialist career.

The future of IT Support Specialists

The field of IT Support is constantly evolving, so it is important for IT Support Specialists to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. Some of the most promising areas of IT Support include:

• Cloud computing: Cloud computing is the delivery of IT services over the internet.
• Artificial intelligence: Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of machines to learn and mimic human intelligence.
• Big data: Big data is the collection and analysis of large amounts of data.
• Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity is the protection of computer systems and networks from unauthorized access.

The field of IT Support is a vast and ever-changing field, but it is also a field with a lot of potential for growth and innovation. If you are interested in a career in IT Support, there are many opportunities available.

So what’s the day to day work
of someone in IT support like? Well, it varies a ton based on
whether you’re doing in person or remote support and at a small business or
a large enterprise company, and there’s really no such
thing as day to day work. Since the puzzles and
challenges are always new and interesting. But in general in IT support specialist
make sure that an organization’s technological equipment
is running smoothly. This includes managing, installing,
maintaining, troubleshooting and configuring office and
computing equipment. This program is designed
to prepare you for an entry level role in
IT help desk support. You’ll learn how to set
up a user’s desktop or workstation how to install the computer
applications that people use the most. You learn how to fix a problem or
troubleshoot when something goes wrong and how to put practices in place to prevent
similar problems from happening again. Not only will you learn the technical
aspects of troubleshooting a problem, you’ll also learn how to communicate
with users in order to best the system. We’ll also show you how to set up
a network from scratch to connect to the Internet, teach you a thing or
two about automation and scripting and teach you about how to implement security
to make sure your systems are safe from hackers and other risk. For me my favorite part of IT support
is the problem solving aspects. I love to exercise my creativity to
spin up a solution to a user’s issue. Being an IT generalist also gave me
the flexibility to learn and practice so many different skills and eventually
determine where I want to focus my career. Plus when things go wrong or you fail at
something in IT, you can take the feedback from those mistakes and be better equipped
to tackle them the next time around. Using failure as a feedback is
an important skill both in IT and in life, for me, that’s why I was so
attracted to the IT field. I love the process of problem solving and constantly stretching myself to learn and
grow. There’s also never been more opportunity
to get into the IT industry than now. Not only is the field of
IT incredibly diverse but job prospects are also booming. It’s projected that IT jobs in the US
alone will grow 12% in the next decade. That’s higher than the average for
all other occupations. So what does this all mean? There are thousands of companies
around the world searching for IT professionals like you. So the main gist is that IT is totally
awesome and full of opportunity and we’re so excited that you’re here. So let’s dive right in.

On July 20th 1969, one of the most phenomenal events
made its way into the history books. When the Apollo 11 completed its
historic mission to the moon. While the most brilliant minds helped
to make sure that the Eagle had landed, computers also played a significant role. The guidance system that navigated the
spacecraft was one of the earliest forms of modern computing. That same computer, the one that helped
America’s lunar dreams become a reality took up the space of an entire room and
had 1/10,000th the computing power of the thing that almost every one of you
carry in your pockets today, a smartphone. Computer hardware and software have had
such a dramatic evolution that what was once only used to power rockets now shapes
the entire way our world functions. Think about your day. Did you grab a snack? Turn on your tv? Take a drive in your car? Computers were along for the ride
literally, computers are everywhere. So here’s the rundown. By the end of this course you’ll
understand how computers work and get a grasp of the building blocks of IT,
we’re going to cover the basics of how computer
hardware performs calculations and we’re going to actually build
a computer from the ground up. Well look at how operating systems
control and interact with hardware. We’ll take a look at the internet and get a better understanding of how
computers talk to each other. We’ll also spend time learning
about how applications and programs tie all of this together and
let humans interact with these systems. Finally we’ll cover important lessons
on problem solving with computers and cover the communication skills that are so critical when interacting
with others in IT. Whether you’re looking for a job in the IT
industry or you just want to learn how your laptop connects to the Internet,
understanding how computers work at every level can help you in your
day to day life and in the workplace. But first let’s take a step way way
back to where it all began even before the Apollo 11 mission touchdown. So you can understand how and
why we use computers today.

The abacus is one of the oldest calculating tools in the world. It is believed to have been invented in Babylonia around 2400 BC. The abacus is a simple device that uses beads to represent numbers. It is still used today in some parts of the world, but it has been largely replaced by computers.

The next major step in the development of computers was the development of the mechanical calculator. The first mechanical calculator was invented by Blaise Pascal in 1642. Pascal’s calculator was able to add and subtract numbers. In 1673, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz invented a mechanical calculator that could also multiply and divide numbers.

The next major step in the development of computers was the development of the analytical engine. The analytical engine was a proposed mechanical computer that was invented by Charles Babbage in the early 1800s. The analytical engine was never built, but it is considered to be the first computer. The analytical engine was a general-purpose computer that could be programmed to perform any calculation. It used punched cards to store programs and data.

The analytical engine was a major breakthrough in the development of computers. It showed that it was possible to build a machine that could perform calculations automatically. The analytical engine also inspired the development of modern computers.

The first electronic computer was built in 1946. It was called the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC). The ENIAC was a large and complex machine that was used to calculate ballistics tables for the US Army.

Since the development of the ENIAC, computers have become smaller, faster, and more powerful. Today, computers are used for a variety of tasks, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and gaming.

The history of computers is a long and fascinating one. It is a story of innovation and progress. From the abacus to the analytical engine to the modern computer, computers have changed the world.

Here is a table summarizing the key developments in the history of computers:

What cards had holes in them that were historically used to store data?

Punch cards

Great job! Punch cards were the first binary system used for machines.

When you hear the word computer, maybe you think
of something like a beefy gaming desktop
with flashing lights. Or maybe you think of a
slim and sleek laptop. These fancy devices
aren’t what people had in mind when computers
were first created. To put it simply, a computer
is a device that stores and processes data by
performing calculations. Before we had actual
computer devices, the term computer was used to refer to someone who actually
did the calculation. You’re probably thinking
that’s crazy talk. My computer lets me
check social media, browse the Internet,
design graphics. How can it possibly just
perform calculations? Well, friends, in this course, we’ll be learning how computer calculations are
baked into applications, social media games, etc, all the things that
you use every day. But to kick things off, we’ll learn about the
journey computers took from the earliest known forms of computing into the devices
that you know and love today. In the world of
technology and if I’m getting really
philosophical in life, it is important to know
where we’ve been in order to understand where we
are and where we’re going. Historical context can help you understand why things work
the way they do today. Have you ever wondered
why the alphabet isn’t laid out in order
on your keyboard? The keyboard layout
that most of the world uses today is the Cordelia, distinguished by the Q-W-E-R-T-Y keys in the top row
of the keyboard. The most common letters that
you type aren’t found on the home row where your
fingers sit the most. But why? There are many stories that claim
to answer this question. Some say it was developed
to slow down type is so they wouldn’t jam old
mechanical typewriters. Others claim it was
meant to resolve problem for telegraph operators. One thing is for sure
the keyboard layout that millions of people use today isn’t the
most effective one. Different keyboard
layouts have even been created to try and
make typing more efficient. Now that we’re
starting to live in a mobile centric world
with our smartphones, the landscape for keyboards
may change completely. My typing fingers are crossed. And the technology industry, having a little contexts
can go a long way to making sense of the concepts
you will encounter. By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to
identify some of the most major advances in the early history
of computers. Do you know what an abacus is? It looks like a wooden toy
that a child would play with. But it’s actually one of the
earliest known computers. It was invented in 500 BC
to count large numbers. While we have calculators like the old reliable TI 89 or
the ones in our computers. The abacus is actually
still used today. Over the centuries, humans built more advanced
counting tools, but they still
require a human to manually perform
the calculations. The first major step forward
was the invention of the mechanical calculator in the 17th century
by Blaise Pascal. This device uses a series
of gears and levers to perform calculations for
the user automatically. While it was limited to
addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
for pretty small numbers. It paved the way for
more complex machines. The fundamental operations of the mechanical
calculator relater apply to the textile industry. Before we had streamline
manufacturing looms we’re used to we’ve
yarn into a fabric. If you want to design
patterns on your fabric. That took an incredible
amount of manual work. In the 1800s, a
man by the name of Joseph Jacquard invented
a programmable loom. These looms took a sequence
of cards with holes in them. When the loom
encountered a hole, it would hook to
thread underneath it. If it did or encounter a whole, the hook wouldn’t
thread anything. Eventually the spun up a
design pattern on the fabric. These cards were
known as punch cards. While Mr. Jacquard reinvented
the textile industry, he probably didn’t realize
that his invention would shape the world of computing
and the world itself today. Pretty epic, Mr.
Jacquard, pretty epic. Let’s fast forward a
few decades and meet a man by the name
of Charles Babbage. Babbage was a
gifted engineer who developed a series of
machines that are now known as the greatest
breakthrough on our way to the
modern computer. He built what was called
a difference engine. It was a very sophisticated
version of some of the mechanical calculators
we were just talking about. It could perform fairly complicated mathematical
operations, but not much else. Babbage’s follow-up to
the difference engine was a machine he called
the analytical engine. He was inspired about Jacquard, use of punchcards to
automatically perform calculations instead of
manually entering them by hand. Babbage use punch cards and his analytical engine to allow people to pre-define a series of calculations they
want it to perform. As impressive as this
achievement was, the analytical engine was still just a very advanced
mechanical calculator. It took the powerful insights
of a mathematician named Ada Lovelace to realize the true potential of
the analytical engine. She was the first person to
recognize that the machine could be used for more
than pure calculations. She developed the first
algorithm for the engine. It was the very first example
of computer programming. Algorithm is just a series of steps that solve
specific problems. Because of Lovelace’s discovery, the algorithms could be programmed into the
analytical engine. It became the very first general purpose computing
machine in history. A great example that
women have had some of the most valuable Mines and
Technology since the 1800s.

The path to modern computers is a long and winding one, with many different inventions and innovations along the way. Here are some of the key milestones in the history of computers:

• The abacus: The abacus is one of the oldest calculating tools in the world. It is believed to have been invented in Babylonia around 2400 BC. The abacus is a simple device that uses beads to represent numbers. It is still used today in some parts of the world, but it has been largely replaced by computers.
• The mechanical calculator: The first mechanical calculator was invented by Blaise Pascal in 1642. Pascal’s calculator was able to add and subtract numbers. In 1673, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz invented a mechanical calculator that could also multiply and divide numbers.
• The analytical engine: The analytical engine was a proposed mechanical computer that was invented by Charles Babbage in the early 1800s. The analytical engine was never built, but it is considered to be the first computer. The analytical engine was a general-purpose computer that could be programmed to perform any calculation. It used punched cards to store programs and data.
• The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC): The ENIAC was the first electronic computer. It was built in 1946 and used to calculate ballistics tables for the US Army. The ENIAC was a large and complex machine that used vacuum tubes to store and process data.
• The transistor: The transistor was invented in 1947 and revolutionized the world of computing. Transistors are much smaller and more efficient than vacuum tubes, which allowed computers to become smaller and more powerful.
• The integrated circuit: The integrated circuit was invented in 1958 and further miniaturized computers. Integrated circuits allowed multiple transistors to be placed on a single chip, which made computers even smaller and more powerful.
• The personal computer: The personal computer was invented in the 1970s and made computing accessible to the masses. Personal computers are small, affordable, and easy to use, which made them a huge hit.
• The internet: The internet was invented in the 1960s and has had a profound impact on computing. The internet allows computers to communicate with each other and share information, which has made computing even more powerful and versatile.

These are just a few of the key milestones in the history of computers. The path to modern computers has been long and winding, but it has been driven by a desire to create machines that can help us solve problems and make our lives easier.

Modern computers are incredibly powerful and versatile machines. They can be used for a variety of tasks, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, gaming, and much more. Computers have changed the world in many ways, and they continue to evolve and become even more powerful.

Question: What is software called when it can be freely distributed, modified, and shared?

Answer: Open-source

Yep, commercial software is paid for, while open-source software can be freely distributed, modified, and shared.

Question: What are the three main desktop operating systems used today? Check all that apply.

Answer: Windows, MacOS, Linux

Welcome back. In this video, we’ll be learning
how huge devices like the analytical engine grew, I mean shrunk into the computing devices
that we use today. The development of
computing has been steadily growing since
the invention of the analytical engine
but didn’t make a huge leap forward
until World War II. Back then, research into
computing was super expensive. Electronic components
were large and you needed lots of them to
compute anything of value. This also meant that computers
took up a ton of space and many efforts were underfunded
and unable to make headway. But when the war broke out, governments started
pouring money and resources into
computing research. They wanted to help develop
technologies that would give them advantages
over other countries. Lots of efforts were spun up and advancements were made in
fields like cryptography. Cryptography is the art of
writing and solving codes. During the war, computers
were used to process secret messages from enemies faster than a human
could ever hope to do. Today the role
cryptography plays in secure communication is a critical part of
computer security, which we’ll learn more
about in a later course. For now, let’s look at
how computers started to make a dramatic
impact on society. After the war, companies
like IBM, Hewlett Packard, and others were advancing their technologies
into the academic, business, and government realms. Lots of technological
advancements in computing were made
in the 20th century. Thanks to direct interests
from governments, scientists, and companies
leftover from World War II. These organizations
invented new methods to store data in computers, which fuel the growth
of computational power. Consider this, until the 1950s punchcards were a
popular way to store data. Operators would have decks of ordered punch cards that were
used for data processing. If they dropped the
deck by accident and the cards get out of order, it was almost impossible
to get them sorted again, there were obviously some
limitations to punchcards. But thanks to new
technological innovations like magnetic tape
and its counterparts, people began to store more
data on more reliable media. A magnetic tape worked by
magnetizing data onto a tape. This left stacks and stacks of punchcards to collect dust, while the new magnetic
tape counterparts began to revolutionize
the industry. I wasn’t joking when I said early computers took
up a lot of space. They had huge machines
to read data and racks of vacuum tubes
that help move that data. Vacuum tubes controlled the
electricity voltages and all electronic equipment
like televisions and radios. But these specific vacuum tubes were bulky and
broke all the time. Imagine what the work of an IT support specialist was like in those early
days of computing. The job description might
have included crawling around inside huge machines filled with dust and creepy
crawly things, or replacing vacuum tubes and swapping out
those punchcards. In those days, doing some debugging might’ve taken
on a more literal meaning. Well-known computer scientist
Admiral Grace Hopper had a favorite story involving some engineers working on the
Harvard Mark II computer. They were trying to figure out the source of the
problems in a relay. After doing some investigating, they discovered the source
of their trouble was a moth, a literal bug in the computer. The ENIAC was one of the earliest forms of
general-purpose computers. It was a wall-to-wall
convolution of massive electronic
components and wires. 17,000 vacuum tubes and took up about 1,800 square
feet of floor space. Imagine if you had to work with that scale of equipment today, I wouldn’t want to
share an office with 1,800 square
feet of machinery. Eventually, the
industry started using transistors to control
electricity voltages. This is now a
fundamental component of all electronic devices. Transistors perform almost the same functions
as vacuum tubes, but they are more compact
and more efficient. You can easily have billions of transistors in a small
computer chip today. Throughout the decades, more and more
advancements were made. The very first compiler was invented by Admiral
Grace Hopper. Compilers made it
possible to translate human language via a programming language
into machine code. The big takeaway is that
this advancement was a huge milestone in computing that led to
where we are today. Now, learning
programming languages is accessible for almost
anyone anywhere. We no longer have to
learn how to write machine code in ones and zeros. Eventually, the
industry gave way to the first hard disk drives
and microprocessors. Then programming language
started becoming the predominant way for engineers who develop
computer software. Computers were getting
smaller and smaller, thanks to advancements in
electronic components. Instead of filling up
entire rooms like ENIAC, they were getting small
enough to fit on tabletops. The Xerox Alto was
the first computer that resembled the computers
we’re familiar with now. There was also the first
computer to implement a graphical user interface that use icons, a mouse,
and a window. Some of you may remember that
the sheer size and cost of historical computers
made it almost impossible for an average
family to own one. Instead, they were
usually found in military and university
research facilities. When companies like Xerox
started building machines at a relatively affordable price and at a smaller form factor. The consumer age of
computing began, then in the 1970s, a young engineer named Steve Wozniak
invented the Apple 1, a single-board computer
meant for hobbyists. With his friend Steve Jobs, they created a company
called Apple Computer. Their follow-up to the Apple I. The Apple II, was ready for
the average consumer to use. The Apple II was a
phenomenal success, selling for nearly two
decades and giving a new generation of people
access the personal computers. For the first time, computers became affordable
for the middle-class and help bring
computing technology into both the home and office. In the 1980s, IBM introduced
its personal computer. It was released with
a primitive version of an operating system called MS DOS or Microsoft
Disk Operating System. Side-note, modern
operating systems don’t just have text anymore, they have beautiful
icons, words, and images like what we
see on our smartphones. It’s incredible how
far we’ve come from the first operating system to the operating systems
we use today. Back to IBM’s PC; it was widely adopted and made more accessible to consumers, it’s thanks to a
partnership with Microsoft. Microsoft founded by Bill Gates, eventually created in
Microsoft Windows. For decades, it
was the preferred operating system in
the workplace and dominated the computing
industry because it can be run on any
compatible hardware. With more computers
in the workplace, the dependence on IT rose, and so does the demand for skilled workers who could
support that technology. Not only were personal computers entering the household
for the first time, but a new type of computing
was emerging, video games. During the 1970s and 80s, Coin operated entertainment
machine called arcades became more
and more popular. A company called Atari
developed one of the first coin operated arcade games
in 1972 called Pong. Pong was such a sensation
that people were standing in lines at bars and rec centers for hours
at a time to play. Entertainment
computers like Pong launched the video game era. Eventually Atari went on to launch the video
computer system, which helped bring personal
video consoles into the home. Video games have contributed to the evolution of computers
in a very real way, tell that to the next person
who dismisses them as a toy. Video game show people
that computers didn’t always have to be all
work and no play. They were a great source
of entertainment too. This was an important milestone for the computing industry, since at that time, computers were primarily used in the workplace or at
research institutions. With huge players in
the market like Apple, Macintosh and Microsoft Windows, taking over the
operating system space, a program whereby the name
of Richard Stallman start developing a free Unix-like
operating system. Unix was an operating
system developed by Ken Thompson and
Dennis Ritchie, but it wasn’t cheap and it
wasn’t available to everyone. Stallman created an OS
that he called GNU. It was meant to be
free to use with similar functionality to Unix. Unlike Windows or Macintosh, GNU wasn’t owned by
a single company, it’s code was open-source, which meant that anyone
could modify and share it. GNU didn’t evolve into a
full operating system, but it set a foundation
for the formation of one of the largest open
source operating system, Linux, which was created
by Linus Torvalds. We get into the
technical details of Linux later in this course, but just know that
it’s a major player in today’s operating systems. As an IT support specialist, it is very likely that you’ll work with an
open-source software. You might already
be using one like the internet browser
and Mozilla Firefox. By the early 90s, computers
started getting even smaller. Then a real game changer made his way into the scene. PDAs or personal
digital assistants, which allows computing
to go mobile. These mobile devices included portable media players,
Word processors, email clients,
Internet browsers, and more all-in-one
handy handheld device. In the late 1990s, Nokia introduced the PDA with
mobile phone functionality. This ignited and industry of pocketable computers or as we know them today, smartphones. In mere decades, we went from having computers that weigh tons and took up entire
rooms to having powerful computers that
fit in our pockets. It’s almost unbelievable,
and it’s just the beginning. If you’re stepping
into the IT industry, it’s essential that
you understand how to support the growing need of this ever-changing
technology. Computer support 50
years ago consisted of changing vacuum tubes
and stacking punchcards, things that no longer
exist in today’s IT world. While computers evolve in both complexity and prevalence, so did knowledge required to
support and maintain them. In 10 years, IT support could
require working through virtual reality lenses,
you never know. Who knows what the future holds, but right now it is an exciting time to be at the
forefront of this industry. Now that we’ve run down
where computers came from and how they’ve
evolved over the decades, let’s get a better grasp on
how computers actually work.

[MUSIC] I think I realized I could pursue this
IT Support as a career my freshman year of high school. So I took an intro to computer
applications class, and that’s when we just learned about a lot
of the very, very basics of computers. And our teacher always talked about
how this is where the world is going, this is in 2001. And getting this foundational
knowledge at a young age of 14, 15 is going to help you a lot when
you’re moving into college and leaving school and
trying to get an actual job. Well, fortunately enough my first
job was working with Google. [LAUGH] I started here maybe
a month after graduating and I was doing very, very entry level,
low level tech support. One of the best memories or one of the best accomplishments I think
I have from my IT Support job was training some of the new people in
the program that I was a part of. I guess it’s like a win knowing that
not only myself who eventually left the program and went on to other things. People that I brought on, helped train, helped teach, have moved on and
done better things.

A computer language is a set of instructions that tells a computer what to do. Computer languages are used to create software programs, which are the instructions that tell a computer how to perform specific tasks.

There are many different computer languages, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some of the most popular computer languages include:

• Python: Python is a general-purpose language that is easy to learn and use. It is often used for data science and machine learning.
• Java: Java is a general-purpose language that is platform-independent. This means that Java programs can be run on any computer that has a Java Virtual Machine (JVM).
• C++: C++ is a powerful language that is often used for system programming. It is known for its speed and efficiency.
• C#: C# is a newer language that is similar to C++. It is often used for web development and game development.
• JavaScript: JavaScript is a scripting language that is used to add interactivity to web pages. It is also used for game development and mobile development.

When choosing a computer language, it is important to consider the task that you want to accomplish. If you are not sure which language to choose, you can start with Python, as it is a good language for beginners.

Computer languages are divided into two main types:

• Low-level languages: Low-level languages are closer to the machine and are used to control the hardware directly. They are difficult to learn and use, but they are very efficient.
• High-level languages: High-level languages are closer to human language and are easier to learn and use. They are not as efficient as low-level languages, but they are more versatile.

Computer languages are also classified into different categories:

• Procedural languages: Procedural languages are based on the concept of procedures, which are sequences of instructions. They are the most common type of computer language.
• Object-oriented languages: Object-oriented languages are based on the concept of objects, which are self-contained units of data and code. They are becoming increasingly popular, as they are more efficient and easier to maintain.
• Functional languages: Functional languages are based on the concept of functions, which are mathematical expressions that take input and produce output. They are less common than procedural and object-oriented languages, but they are gaining popularity due to their simplicity and elegance.

Computer languages are a powerful tool that can be used to create software programs. By learning a computer language, you can open up a world of possibilities and create your own applications.

Remember when I said that a
computer is a device that stores and processes data
by performing calculations? Whether you’re creating an artificial
intelligence that can be humans at chess or something more simple like
running a video game, the more computing power
you have access to, the more you can accomplish. By the end of this lesson, you’ll understand what a
computer calculates and how. Let’s look at this
simple math problem. Zero plus one equals what? It only takes a moment to
come up with the answer one, but imagine that
you needed to do 100 calculations that
were this simple. You could do it, and if you are careful you might not
make any mistakes. What if you needed to do
1,000 of these calculations? How about a million? How about a billion? This is exactly what a computer does. A computer simply
compares ones and zeros, but millions or billions
of times per second. [inaudible]. The communication
that a computer uses is referred to as binary system, also known as base-2
numeral system. This means that it only
talks in ones and zeros. You may be thinking, my computer only talks
in ones and zeros. How do I communicate with
it? Think of it like this. We use the letters
of the alphabet to form words and we give
those words meaning. We use them to create sentences, paragraphs and whole stories. The same thing
applies to binary, except instead of A, B, C, and so on, we only have zero and one to create words
that we give meaning to. In computing terms, we group binary into eight
numbers or bits. Technically, a bit
is a binary digit. Historically, we use eight bits because in the
early days of computing, hardware utilized the
base-2 numeral system to move bits around. Two to the eighth
numbers offered us a large enough range of values to do the
computing we needed. Back then, any number
of bits was used, but eventually the
grouping of eight bits became the industry
standard that we use today. You should know that
a group of eight bits is referred to as a byte. A byte of zeros and ones
could look like 10011011. Each byte can store
one character, and we can have 256
possible values thanks that a base-2
system, two to the eighth. In computer talk, this byte can mean something
like the letter c. This is how a computer
language is born. Let’s make a quick table
to translate something a computer might see into something we’d
be able to recognize. What does the following
translate to? Did you get hello? Pretty cool. By using binary, we can have unlimited communication
with our computer. Everything you see on
your computer right now, whether it’s a video, an image, texts
or anything else, is nothing more than
a one or a zero. It is important that you
understand how binary works. It is the basis for everything else we’ll do in this course. Make sure you understand the
concept before moving on.

Character encoding is the process of representing characters in a computer system. It is necessary because computers only understand binary numbers, and characters are made up of letters, numbers, symbols, and other symbols.

There are many different character encodings, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of the most common character encodings include:

• ASCII: ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) is the oldest and most widely used character encoding. It can represent 128 characters, including the English alphabet, numbers, and punctuation marks.
• UTF-8: UTF-8 (Unicode Transformation Format – 8-bit) is a variable-width character encoding that can represent a wide range of characters, including those used in non-English languages. It is the most common character encoding used on the internet.
• UTF-16: UTF-16 (Unicode Transformation Format – 16-bit) is a fixed-width character encoding that can represent a wide range of characters, including those used in non-English languages. It is often used in software applications.

When choosing a character encoding, it is important to consider the needs of your application. If you are only working with English text, then ASCII may be sufficient. However, if you need to work with text in other languages, then you will need to use a more comprehensive character encoding, such as UTF-8 or UTF-16.

Character encoding is an important concept in computer science. By understanding how character encoding works, you can ensure that your data is stored and transmitted correctly.

Here are some of the things to keep in mind when choosing a character encoding:

• The characters that need to be represented.
• The size of the character set.
• The compatibility with other systems.
• The efficiency of the encoding.

By the end of this video, you’ll learn how we can
represent the words, numbers, emojis, and more we see
on our screens from only these 256 possible values. It’s all thanks to
character encoding. Character encoding
is used to assign our binary values to characters so that we as
humans can read them. We definitely
wouldn’t want to see all the texts in our emails in webpages rendered in complex
sequences of zeros and ones. This is where character
encodings come in handy. You can think of character
encoding as a dictionary. It’s a way for your
computers to look up which human character should be represented by a
given binary value. The oldest character encoding
standard used is ASCII. It represents the
English alphabet, digits, and punctuation marks. The first character
in the ASCII to binary table, a lowercase a, maps to 01100001 in binary. This is done for
all the characters you can find in the
English alphabet, as well as numbers and
some special symbols. The great thing with ASCII was
that we only needed to use 127 values out of
our possible 256. It lasted for a very long time, but eventually,
it wasn’t enough. Other character
encoding standards were created to represent
different languages, different amounts of
characters, and more. Eventually, they would require more than 256 values we
are allowed to have. Then came UTF-8, the most prevalent encoding
standard used today. Along with having the
same ASCII table, it also lets us use a
variable number of bytes. What do I mean by that?
Think of any emoji. It’s not possible
to make emojis with a single byte since we can only store one
character in a byte. Instead, UTF-8 allows us to store a character in
more than one byte, which means endless emoji fun. UTF-8 is built off
the Unicode Standard. We won’t go into much detail, but the Unicode
Standard helps us represent character encoding
in a consistent manner. Now that we’ve been able to
represent letters, numbers, punctuation marks,
and even emojis, how do we represent color? Well, there are all
kinds of color models. For now, let’s stick
to a basic one that’s used in a
lot of computers, RGB or red, green,
and blue model. Just like the actual colors, if you mix a combination
of any of these, you’ll be able to get the
full range of colors. In computer learn, we use three characters
for the RGB model. Each character represents
a shade of the color, and that then changes the color of the pixel you
see on your screen. With just eight combinations
of zeros and ones, we’re able to
represent everything that you see on
your computer from a simple letter a
to the very video that you’re watching
right now. Very cool.

Binary is a numbering system that uses only two digits: 0 and 1. It is the most basic form of digital data, and it is used by computers to store and process information.

Binary numbers are made up of bits, which are the smallest unit of information in a computer. Each bit can represent one of two values: 0 or 1.

To represent a number in binary, you write down a series of bits, starting with the most significant bit (MSB) on the left and the least significant bit (LSB) on the right. The value of each bit is multiplied by a power of 2, starting with 2 raised to the power of the number of bits.

For example, the binary number 1010 can represent the number 10 in decimal. The MSB is 1, which is multiplied by 2 raised to the power of 2, or 4. The next bit is 0, which is multiplied by 2 raised to the power of 1, or 2. The last bit is 1, which is multiplied by 2 raised to the power of 0, or 1. The sum of these three values is 4 + 2 + 1 = 7.

Binary numbers can be used to represent any number, including integers, fractions, and decimals. They can also be used to represent characters, strings, and other data types.

Binary numbers are the foundation of computer science and are used in all aspects of computing, from hardware to software. By understanding binary numbers, you can better understand how computers work and how to program them.

Here are some of the benefits of using binary:

• It is a simple and efficient way to represent data.
• It is easy to store and transmit binary data.
• Binary is the native language of computers, so it is the most efficient way to communicate with them.

Here are some of the challenges of using binary:

• It can be difficult to read and write binary numbers.
• Binary numbers can be large and cumbersome to represent.
• Binary numbers cannot represent all decimal numbers accurately.

Overall, binary is a powerful and versatile numbering system that is essential for computer science. By understanding binary, you can better understand how computers work and how to program them.

You might be wondering
how are computers get these ones and zeros? It’s a pretty question. Imagine
we have a light bulb and a switch that turns the state
of the light on or off. If we turn the light on, we can denote that state is one, if the light bulb is off, we can represent
the state as zero. Now imagine eight light
bulbs and switches that represents eight bits with
a state of zero or one. Let’s backtrack to
the punch cards that were used in
Jacquard’s loom. Remember that the loom use
cards with holes in them. When the loom would
reach a hole, it would hook to
thread underneath, meaning that the loom was on. If there wasn’t a hole, it would not hook the
thread, so it was off. This is a foundational
binary concept. By utilizing the two
states of on or off, Jacquard was able to weave intricate patterns into
fabric with his looms. Then the industry started refining the punchcards
a little more. Where there was a whole, the computer would read one, if there wasn’t a hole,
it would read zero. Then by just translating the combination of
zeros and ones, a computer could calculate any possible amount of numbers. Binary in today’s computer
isn’t done by reading holes. It uses electricity via transistors allowing electrical
signals to pass through. If there’s an electric voltage, we would denote it as one, if there isn’t, we would
denote it by zero. But just having transistors
isn’t enough for our computer to be able
to do complex tasks. Imagine if you had two light switches opposite
ends of a room, each controlling of
light in the room. What if when you went to turn on the light with one switch, the other switch
wouldn’t turn off? That’ll be a very
poorly designed room. Both switches should either
turn the light on or off, depending on the
state of the light. Fortunately, we have something
known as logic gates. Logic gates allow
our transistors to do more complex tasks like decide where to send
electrical signals depending on logical conditions. There are lots of different
types of logic gates, but we won’t discuss
them in detail here. If you’re curious
about the role that transistors and logic gates
play in modern circuitry, you can read more about it in
the supplementary reading. Now we know how our
computer gets it’s ones and zeros to calculate into
meaningful instructions. Later in this course,
we’re going to be able to talk about
how we’re able to turn human-readable
instructions into zeros and ones that our computer
understands through compilers. That’s one of the very
basic building blocks of programming that’s led to the creation of our favorite
social media sites, video games, and just
about everything else.

Binary is the fundamental
communication block of computers, but it’s used to represent more
than just text and images. It’s used in many aspects of computing,
like computer networking, what you’ll learn about in a later course. It’s important that you understand
how computers count in binary. We’ve shown you simple look up tables that
you can use like the ASCII binary table. But as an IT support specialist whether
you’re working on networking or security, you’ll need to know how binary works,
so let’s get started. You’ll probably need a trusty pen and
paper, a calculator and some good old fashioned brainpower
to help you in this video. The binary system is how our
computers count using 1s and 0s, but humans don’t count like that. When you were a child you may have
counted using ten fingers on your hand, that innate counting system is called
the decimal form or base ten system. In the decimal system there are ten
possible numbers you can use ranging from 0 to 9. When we count binary which only uses 0 and
1, we convert it to a system that
we can understand, decimal. 330, 250 to 44 million,
they’re all decimal numbers. We use the decimal system to help us
figure out what bits our computer can use. We can represent any number in
existence just by using bits. That’s right, we can represent this
number just using ones and zeros, so how does that work? Let’s consider these numbers, 128, 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2 and 1,
what patterns do you see? Hopefully you’ll see that each number is a
double of the previous number going right to left,
what happens if you add them all up? You get 255, that’s kind of weird, I thought we could have 256 values for
a byte. Well, we do,
the 0 is counted as a value, so the maximum decibel number
you can have is 255. What do you think the number
is represented here? See where the 1s and
the 0s are represented? Remember, if our computers use
the 1 then the value was on, if it sees a 0 then the value was off. If you add these numbers up
you’ll get a decimal value. If you guess 10, then you’re right, good job, if you didn’t get it,
that’s okay too, take another look. The 2 and 8 are on and
if we add them up we get 10. Let’s look at our ASCII
binary table again, the letter h in binary is 01101000. Now let’s look at an ASCII
to decimal table. The letter h and decimal is 104. Now let’s try our conversion chart again,
64+32+8=104. Look at that, the math checks out. Now we’re cooking, wow, we’ve gone over
all the essentials of the basic building blocks of computing and machine language.

Counting in binary is similar to counting in decimal, but instead of using the digits 0-9, you only use the digits 0 and 1.

To count in binary, start with the number 0. Then, to count up to the next number, add a 1 to the rightmost digit. For example, the next number after 0 is 1. To count up to the next number after 1, add a 1 to the rightmost digit, giving you 10.

To count in binary, you can use a table like this:

As you can see, each new number in binary is one more than the previous number, just like in decimal. However, in binary, each number is represented by a different number of bits. For example, the number 10 is represented by two bits, while the number 11 is represented by three bits.

To count in binary, you can also use a binary counter. A binary counter is a device that counts up in binary. You can find binary counters in many electronic devices, such as computers and calculators.

Here are some tips for counting in binary:

• Start with the number 0.
• To count up to the next number, add a 1 to the rightmost digit.
• If the rightmost digit is already 1, carry the 1 over to the next digit and add a 0 to the rightmost digit.
• Continue counting up until you reach the desired number.

With a little practice, you’ll be counting in binary like a pro in no time!

Abstraction is a concept in computer science that allows us to focus on the essential aspects of a problem without getting bogged down in the details. It is a way of representing something in a simpler form that is easier to understand and manipulate.

There are many different types of abstraction in computer science, but some of the most common include:

• Data abstraction: Data abstraction is the process of hiding the details of how data is stored and represented from the user. This allows the user to focus on the essential properties of the data without having to worry about how it is implemented.
• Control abstraction: Control abstraction is the process of hiding the details of how a program is executed from the user. This allows the user to focus on the logic of the program without having to worry about how it is implemented.
• Object-oriented abstraction: Object-oriented abstraction is a type of abstraction that is based on the concept of objects. Objects are self-contained units of data and code that can be used to represent things in the real world.

Abstraction is a powerful tool that can be used to make programs easier to understand, write, and maintain. By abstracting away the details, we can focus on the essential aspects of a problem and make it easier to solve.Here are some of the benefits of abstraction:

• It makes programs easier to understand and maintain.
• It allows us to focus on the essential aspects of a problem.
• It makes programs more reusable.
• It can help to improve performance.

Here are some of the challenges of abstraction:

• It can be difficult to implement correctly.
• It can make programs more complex.
• It can make programs less efficient.

Overall, abstraction is a powerful tool that can be used to make programs easier to understand, write, and maintain. However, it is important to use it carefully and to be aware of its limitations.

When we interact
with our computers, we use our mouse, keyboard, or even
a touch screen. We don’t tell it the
actual zeros and ones, it needs to
understand something. But wait, we actually do. We just don’t ever have
to worry about it. We use the concept of
abstraction to take a relatively complex system
and simplify it for our use. Use abstraction everyday in the real-world and you
may not even know it. If you’ve ever driven a car, you don’t use to
know how to operate the transmission or
the engine directly. There’s a steering wheel, pedals, maybe a gear stick. If you buy a car from a
different manufacturer, you operate it in pretty
much the same way, even though the stuff under the hood might be
completely different. This is the essence
of abstraction. Abstraction hides complexity by providing a common interface. The steering wheel, pedals, gear stick engages
in our car example. The same thing happens
in our computer. We don’t need to know how it
works underneath the hood. We have a mouse and a keyboard we can use to interact with it. Thanks to abstraction, the average computer
user doesn’t have to worry about the
technical details. We’ll use this under the hood metaphor throughout
the program to describe the area that contains the underlying implementation
of a technology. In computing, we use abstraction to make a very complex problem, like how to make computers
work easier to think about. We do that by breaking it
apart into simpler ideas that describe single concepts or individual jobs that
need to be done, and then stack them in layers. This concept of
abstraction will be used throughout
this entire course. It’s a fundamental concept
in the computing world. Another simple example
of abstraction in an IT role that you might see
a lot is an error message. We don’t have to
dig through someone else’s code and find a bug. This has been
abstracted out for us already in the form
of an error message. Symbol error message
like file not found, actually tells us a
lot of information and saves us time to
figure out a solution. Can you imagine if instead of abstracting an error message our computer did
nothing and we had no clue where to start
looking for answers. Abstraction helps us in many ways that we
don’t even realize.

Computer architecture is the study of the design and implementation of computer systems. It is a broad field that encompasses many different aspects of computers, including the hardware, software, and the way that they interact.

The goal of computer architecture is to design computers that are efficient, reliable, and easy to use. To achieve this goal, computer architects must consider a variety of factors, such as the performance of the hardware, the complexity of the software, and the needs of the users.

One of the most important aspects of computer architecture is the processor. The processor is the central unit of a computer and it is responsible for executing instructions. The processor is made up of many different components, including the control unit, the arithmetic logic unit, and the registers.

Another important aspect of computer architecture is the memory. Memory is used to store data and instructions. There are two main types of memory:

• Random access memory (RAM): RAM is volatile memory, which means that it loses its contents when the power is turned off. RAM is used to store data and instructions that are currently being used by the processor.
• Read-only memory (ROM): ROM is non-volatile memory, which means that it retains its contents even when the power is turned off. ROM is used to store permanent data and instructions, such as the BIOS.

The computer architecture is also responsible for the way that the hardware and software interact. This is done through the use of interfaces. An interface is a set of rules that define how the hardware and software communicate with each other.

Computer architecture is a complex and ever-evolving field. As technology advances, computer architects must continue to develop new and innovative ways to design computers that are faster, more efficient, and more user-friendly.

Here are some of the key components of computer architecture:

• Processor: The processor is the central processing unit (CPU) of the computer. It is responsible for executing instructions and controlling the other components of the computer.
• Memory: Memory is used to store data and instructions. There are two main types of memory: random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM).
• Storage: Storage is used to store data and programs that are not currently being used by the processor. There are many different types of storage devices, such as hard drives, solid-state drives, and optical discs.
• Input/Output (I/O) devices: I/O devices are used to interact with the user and the outside world. Examples of I/O devices include keyboards, mice, monitors, printers, and scanners.
• Communication devices: Communication devices are used to connect computers to each other and to the internet. Examples of communication devices include network adapters, modems, and routers.

Computer architecture is a fascinating and complex field. By understanding the principles of computer architecture, you can better understand how computers work and how to design and implement efficient and reliable computer systems.

In the last video, I mentioned that people
don’t need to understand how a computer works
for them to use it, because abstraction makes
things simpler for us. That’s technically true, but since you’re stepping
to the world of IT, you do need to understand all the layers of a
computer and how they work. It’s essential that you understand how the
different pieces interact so you can resolve
any issues that may arise. Computer can be cut
into four main layers, hardware, operating system,
software, and users. The hardware layer is made up of the physical components
of a computer. These are objects you can
physically hold in your hand. Laptops, phones, monitors, keyboards. You get the idea. In the next lesson, you’ll learn all of
the components of a computer and how they work. You’ll even be able to build your own computer by
the end of this module. The operating system allows hardware to communicate
with the system. Hardware is created by many
different manufacturers. The operating system
allows them to be used with our system regardless
of where it came from. In the next few lessons, you’ll learn about the
major operating systems that we use today and you’ll be able to understand all of the underlying components that make up an operating system. By the end of these lessons, you’ll have a strong grasp
on the major components of any operating system
like Android or Windows, and use that knowledge to
navigate any operating system. The software layer is how we as humans interact
with our computers. When you use a computer, you’re given a vast amount of software that you interact with. Whether it’s a mobile app, a web browser, a word processor with an
operating system itself. Later in this course, we’ll learn how software
is installed on our systems and how we interact with different
types of software. The last layer may not seem
like it’s part of the system, but it’s an essential layer
of the computer architecture. The user, the user interacts
with the computer. The user layer is one of the most important
layers we’ll learn about. When you step into
the field of IT, you may have your hands full
with the technical aspects. The most important part of
IT is the human element. While we work with
computers every day, it is the user interaction
that makes up most of our job from responding to user emails to fixing
their computers. By the end of the course, you’ll also learn how to apply your knowledge of how
a computer works to fix real-world issues that can sometimes seem
random and obscure. We’ll do this by
learning how to utilize problem-solving tactics to
identify issues and solutions. There’s a lot ahead. The next instructor
you’re going to meet as a friend of mine, Devin [inaudible] and I know there’s no better
person to teach you about hardware or even show
you how to build a computer from its component
parts. Pretty cool.