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    Accompanying Workbook for

    PC Hardware and Assembly WorkshopComputing from Past to Present, PC Hardware AssemblyOpen Source Software, and the Internet

    With Free Geek Provide

    We help the needy get ne

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    Free Geek, 2009

    Providence, RI

    This workbook was written and produced by:

    Free Geek Providence and Central Falls High School

    Mark Leeuwenburgh

    Beth Ayer

    David Bizier

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    Table o Contents

    Introduction to Free Geek iii

    1 A Brie History o Computing 1

    2 Introduction to Geek Speak 7

    3 PC Hardware 11

    4 Open Source Sotware and Installation 27

    5 PC Security and the Internet 31

    Glossary 35

    Appendix A : Classroom Activities 39

    Activity # 1 : Go Shopping 39

    Activity # 2 : Word Puzzles 43

    Appendix B : Free and Open Source Sotware 45

    Reerences 49

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    ii

    Figure 9 : Passive Heat Sink with Fan 16

    Figure 10 : Hard Disk 17

    Figure 11 : Hard Disk Cylinders and Sectors 18

    Figure 12 : CD-ROM Drive 19

    Figure 13 : Random Access Memory 20

    Figure 14 : Power Supply 21

    Figure 15 : CMOS 22

    Figure 16 : Motherboard Slots 23

    Figure 17 : BIOS 23

    Figure 18 : Keyboard 24

    Figure 19: Mouse 24

    Figure 20: Open Ofce Logo 29

    List of FiguresFigure 1: ENIAC 2

    Figure 2: Moores Law 5

    Figure 3 : PC Components (exploded view) 11

    Figure 4 : Chassis 12

    Figure 5 : Parts on the Motherboard 13

    Figure 6 : Motherboard 14

    Figure 7 : Central Processing Unit 15

    Figure 8 : CPU Heat Sink with Fan 16

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    ii

    List of Tables

    Table 1: Examples o File Types and Capacity 8

    Table 2: Examples o File Types Across Platorms 9

    Table 3: Childrens Applications 45

    Table 4: Applications or Creativity 46

    Table 5: Applications or Ofce Productivity 47

    Table 6: Financial Applications 48

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    Introduction to Free Geek

    Why did you decide to attend the Free Geek workshop? What do you hope to learn? Ill bet youreprobably earning school credit. But school credit is ar rom the only thing youll get rom learningabout computers.

    Technology is a key point o access to our modern world. Can you think o any industry, task, ornecessity that is not in some way aided or provided by computers? Think o the ood in yourrerigerator. How did it end up there? All that organizing, harvesting, and shipping was madepossible, in part, by computers. While were at it, think o the manuacturing o your rerigeratoritsel. Almost everything we do is aided by computers today, and that o course includes writingpapers or school, managing a bank account, social networking (think Facebook), playing games,looking up travel directions... Examples such as these are endless. Computers are so thoroughlyincorporated in our daily lives that it is very dicult to imagine lie without them. And lie withoutthem, or the average person, existed just about a mere 30 years ago.

    Just like bringing ood to your kitchen is a detailed process, computers also involve intricateprocesses to run and complete tasks. However, they do not have to be as complicated and oreignas they have always been to a lot o people.

    Building a PC used to be thought o as a highly specialized undertaking, attempted (andunderstood) only by experienced techies and gamers. Sotware, too, has been considered anecessary expense, because its creation is incomprehensible to most. One thing you will learn inthis workbook and corresponding workshop is that sotware can be cheap or even ree; and theinsides o your PC can become a amiliar and customized terrain rather than merely the mysteriousinner-workings o an impossibly strong-willed machine.

    In our technology-centered world, inormation and expertise are incredibly powerul tools. Youwill not only have the ability to customize your own PC to your preerences (and I dont just meanchanging that background picture o Miley Cyrus on your desktop), but you will also be able tobring your unique new knowledge to whatever project, eld, or cause you are interested in.

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    In This WorkbookYou will get an overview o the history o computers, as well as an understanding o a computersbasic parts. You will become uent in geek speak the ormerly inscrutable jargon tossed aroundby techie-types. Maybe youll even start using that language yoursel! Youll also learn about OpenSource Sotware. To start, what is Open Source Sotware? By the time youre done, names like Linux,Xubuntu, and Open Oce (Open Source operating systems and word-processing sotware) will haveound a comortable home in your PC as well as in your vocabulary, and youll know how to do-it-yoursel.

    From Personal Computers to Personalized Computers

    Rising popular demand or building your own computer is obvious: just look at the increasedavailability o the components required or building your own personalized computer. You can nownd all the components you need in retail stores, even in large chains. Turns out you dont have to bea computer scientist or programmer to get the most out o your machine.

    Who is this book or?

    Anyone who uses computers. People with a desire to get the most out o their PCs. Curious people.Those who enjoy challenges. People who play video games, download music, and store documentsand les. Anyone who would like to modiy their computer specically or gaming, retouchingphotos, or even just to check email and sur the internet, without having a bunch o extra stuf theydont need. People who like to learn. Anyone who thinks it would be neat to install an operatingsystem or sotware on a computer or ree instead o spending hundreds o dollars. Or someone who

    would like to know what an operating system is. Or what a gigabyte is. Did I say curious people?

    Getting Ready to Build your own PC

    When getting ready to build your own computer, it is important to careully prepare your workarea and gather together all the things youll need. You do not want to get partway through yourassembly or installation and realize a part is missing, and you certainly do not want to destroy yourcomputer!

    What you need:

    PCComputerwithmonitor,keyboard,andmouse

    Phillipsscrewdriver

    XubuntuinstallationCD

    Be sure to line up all the sotware, tools, and hardware you will need beore you start. I you havemanuals or your sotware and components, read them! Any extra inormation, hints, or tips will helpyou create a machine that works best or you. Your goal is not only to create a PC that runs, but alsoto optimize the perormance o each component.

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    Work Area Preparation and Saety Precautions

    Follow these steps to prepare your work area:

    Step 1: Turn o the power and unplug the computer.

    Start with the power of. Remove all magnets and any magnetized tools rom the work area. A greatrule to ollow: Dont need it around your work area? Remove it! That includes ood, drinks, and anyother clutter.

    Step 2: Ground yoursel and discharge static electricity

    All electronic components can be static-charged. Static electricity can damage the parts o your com-puter even i the voltage is so low that you cannot notice any static shock. To ground yoursel beorehandling components, you simply need to touch a metal object such as the chassis. You can also useelectro-static discharged (ESD) bags to store and handle computer components.

    Tip: Wear wool or cotton clothing to reduce problems with static. When theair is dry, especially in winter, static problems become more common.

    Step 3: Keep track o all the screws and any other tiny parts

    You will notice that building a PC requires a lot o small pieces. Each part potentially has diferentscrews that accompany it, so it is very important to keep your work area organized. Household itemssuch as egg cartons and ice cube trays can work as organizers and solve this problem nicely.

    Step 4: Watch or sharp edges ater removing the cover

    When youre ready to begin, you will need to remove the PC cover. Pay close attention to what youare doing and watch out or any sharp edges. Place the cover out o the way while you work.

    Lets get started with the workshop!

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    What did you learn rom the Introduction?

    1. What do you expect to learn rom this workshop?

    2. What are you most interested in using computers or?

    2. Why is it important to ground yoursel betore working onassembling computers?

    3. What can you do to ground yoursel?

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    A basic knowledge o the history o computing iscrucial to understanding the ever-evolving stateo modern computers. In this module youll be

    introduced to the most inuential events romthe birth o computers to where weve ended uptoday computers are an integral part o everyday lie.

    Computers have come a very long way sincethey rst appeared in the 1940s. In a relativelyshort period o time, they have shrunk rom 680square eet (that could be the size o a house!)and $500,000 to the considerably smaller (andcheaper) versions we see today. Now when you

    buy a computer, you can choose rom a varietyo options depending on your needs. I youare constantly on the go and need only a smalllaptop with wireless internet access and wordprocessing capabilities, you may choose a TabletPC that weighs just around three pounds. Or iyou are more likely to sit at a desk and play videogames, you may choose a desktop computer orlarger laptop with a lot o storage space and highprocessing speed. Youll nd out more aboutdiferent types o computers, speed and storagelater. For now, lets examine how ar computershave come.

    1940s

    It took scientists rom 1943 1947 to build theElectronic Numerical Integrator and Computer(known as ENIAC). The ENIAC was the rstgeneral-purpose electronic computer, andwas called the Giant Brain when it was rstannounced. The ENIAC had more than thirtyseparate parts, all together weighing over thirty

    1 A Brie History o Computingtons around ve or six times the weight o anelephant!

    Even today, the majority o people do not ullyunderstand the complex workings o computers.Imagine what people thought about the ENIACin the 1940s!

    By the end o the 1940s, there were still onlyabout ve to seven computers in the world. But asignicant milestone had been reached: the birtho the mainrame computer.

    1950s

    A mainrame computer is a large computer

    designed to be the central source o operationsand to provide data storage or large amountso inormation. The name mainrame camerom the earliest computers that were the sizeo rooms (like the ENIAC). The main rame wasthe case that held the parts o the computer.

    The invention o the mainrame was importantbecause it was able to handle such largeamounts o inormation and simultaneous tasks.

    The hard drive was also invented in the 1950s.The hard drive holds your pictures, music les,documents, and programs, and everything elsestored on your computer. Your les and oldersare physically located in the hard disc within thehard drive. You would think a hard drive wouldhave to be pretty big to hold all the inormationstored on the average computer, but a typicalmodern hard drive is just a little bit larger thanyour hand. Youll learn more about storagecapacity and devices later on.

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    Figure 1: The ENIAC

    The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (known as ENIAC) was therst general-purpose electronic computer, and was called the Giant Brainwhen it was rst announced. The ENIAC was nanced by the U.S Army duringWorld War II, and its advanced calculating abilities were rst used or militarypurposes.

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    The hisToryof CompuTin

    1980s

    IBM

    With code name Acorn, IBM met with MicrosotsBill Gates to develope the rst IBM personalcomputer. On August 12, 1981, the IBM PCwas released, and the name PC -- or personalcomputer was popularized.

    The IBM PC sold originally or $3,005 and came

    with 64 KB RAM, a 5 inch oppy drive, and amonitor. Floppy disks were still used commonlythrough the 1990s, but with each successiveversion o the PC, eatures inluding RAM,monitors, and other eatures improved, and theprice went down.

    Apple

    The Apple Macintosh was rst introducedon January 24th, 1984. Known as the Mac,Apples PC was the rst commercially successulpersonal computer to include a mouse andallow interaction through images rather thantext commands. This new interaction methodwas called a graphical user interace (GUI),and dramatically improved PC usability. TheGUI allowed or greater eciency, and madecomputers much easier to use. The icons we seetoday on computer desktops exist as a result oGUI.

    Open Source

    Another signicant milestone in the 1980s was

    the distribution and ounding o a ree versiono Unix. Richard M. Stallman, a developer atthe Massachusetts Institute o Technology inCambridge, MA, believed that sotware should beree or everyone to use. He created a set o toolsor the creation o a completely ree operatingsystem. Stallman called the tools GNU, which is arecursive acronymn or GNUs not UNIX.

    1960sDuring the 60s, two programmers named Ken

    Thompson and Dennis Ritchie developed acomputer operating system called Unix. Unixwas unique because it was the rst operatingsystem that could be installed on diferentcomputers and run a variety o small programs.It also enabled multi-tasking and use by morethan one user. Unix enables a large number osotware and programs to work together andrun simultaneously, rather than one enormousprogram running all the smaller ones.

    Unix was also important because it createdone operating system (OS) that can be run ondiferent types o computers.

    As you can see, a lot o important changes tookplace during the 1960s. Computers began topervade all aspects o modern lie, and were evenused or NASAs mission to the moon in 1969.

    1970s

    During the 1970s, the rst microprocessor, or

    CPU (central processing unit) paved the way orpersonal computers. While mainrames and otherlarge sized computers were only afordable touniversities and big companies, microprocessorsemerged as more afordable and accessiblehobby kits. The Altair and Apple were the rsttwo personal computer hobby kits. The AppleI had a video screen, 8k o RAM (a tiny amountcompared to computers today), and a keyboard.

    In 1977, a PC user group called the BostonComputer Society (BCS) was ounded by13 year old Jonathan Rotenberg in Boston,Massachusetts. The mission o BCS was todemystiy computers and make them moreaccessible to the public. BCS unctioned asan inormation sharing group, a vehicle orannouncing major computer product releases,and an overall way o making the public morecomortable with computer technology.

    With over 30,000 members in all 50 U.S. statesand 40 other countries, BCS helped the worldprepare or the technological advancement.

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    Sotware developers began making applicationsavailable to the public domain, calling it reewareor shareware. Freeware was completely ree ocharge, and shareware meant that a donationwas suggested.

    The 1980s was rich with technologicaladvancement. During this decade the internetbecame commercially available, and applicationsincluding email and chat came into existence.As you can see, the 80s drastically impacted theworld as we know it today!

    Richard Stallman created a sotware licensecalled the GNU General Public License, or GPL,based on our basic principles (Prott 2008, 8):

    You have the reedom to run the program,or any purpose

    You have the reedom to change the

    program to suit your needs. This meansthat you can have the source code, which isthe actual human instructions used to putthe application together.

    You have the reedom to redistributecopies o the program, either or ree or ora ee

    You have the reedom to redistributechanged copies o the original program

    The 1990s

    Advent o the World Wide Web

    During the 1990s the World Wide Web beganto grow into the internet we know today. Theinternet and its many uses grew and expanded,shaping the way we use and think aboutcomputers.

    In 1990, an engineer named Tim Berners-Leewrote the rst web client and server, introducing

    the rst wb browser. The rst web browser wascalled WorldWideWeb, and in 1990 it was theonly way to see the internet. Later the programwas renamed Nexus in order to distinguishbetween the program itsel and the internetinormation space, now called World Wide Web.

    Introduction o Linux

    In 1991, a Finish computer science studentnamed Linus Torvalds began building an oper-ating system or his PC. With the help o otherstudents, Torvalds publicly released his operatingsystem in October o 1991, calling it Linux.

    Despite being completely ree to own, Linux hasbecome a very lucrative business. Thats right

    you can install Linux on your PC without payingany money at all. So how do they make money?

    The Linux kernel (core), combined with Richard

    Stallmans GNU tools, became the ully opera-tional GNU/Linux known today. It is ree to ownand install, but many people are willing to pay orexpert assistance, resources, and support, as wellas distribution.

    In the case o Linux, ree does not just meanree o charge -- it means people are ree to useand distribute Linux as they wish.

    Although Linux is not a word that most peoplehear on a daily basis, the system is now behind70-80% o the worlds websites.

    With all this technological history happeningin such a short amount o time, the possibilitiesseem limitless or the uture o computers andOpen Source technology.

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    The hisToryof CompuTin

    Moores Law

    Processing speed has been doubled about every two years since1970, as shown in the above graphic. All computer technology hasbeen advancing with similar switness -- it is nearly impossible toconsistently keep up with technologys progress.

    Figure 2 : Moores Law

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    What did you learn in Module 1?

    1. When were computers rst developed?

    2. What were they primarily used or?

    3. What does ENIAC stand or?

    4. When was the Internet made available to the public?

    5. Who invented the Internet?

    6. What are two historical events took place in the 1970s andchanged the computer industry?

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    2 Introduction to Geek SpeakWhat are you looking or when you walk into a computerstore? Maybe it is a new PC, an MP3 player, or somethingto back up all the les on your computer. But which PC

    should you choose? Which MP3 player? You browse theaisles, examining the little tags hanging beneath each itemor some clues on which to purchase. On each card yound a blur o specs (specications) :

    ..200GB hard drive, 1GB o RAM, 128MB GeForce FX 5600

    graphics card, can also burn CDs and DVDs with the built in

    DVD+-RW drive. The RZ46G also eatures Microsot Windows

    XP Media Center Edition as its operating system.

    What to do with this conusing jumble o inormation?

    First, keep in mind what you are specically looking or.Are you most interested in playing video games? Storingles such as videos, downloaded music and movies? Wordprocessing and searching the internet? How many largeprograms will you need? Ater your introduction to GeekSpeak, you will be able to decode those specs in order tobuild or purchase the right PC or your needs.

    What to look or:

    Will a laptop or desktop computer be best or you?Laptops are more portable, but desktops are otenmore powerul.

    Next consider the processor or CPU. CPU speed ismeasured in Ghz (Gigahertz) the higher the processorspeed, the aster your PC will be. Some CPU manuacturersinclude Intel Pentium, Celeron, AMD. Processors can getvery hot, so they require a cooling device. Some haveactive approaches to cooling, meaning that a an ispresent to blow the heat away rom the CPU. A passiveapproach to cooling means that a piece o metal is xed

    over the CPU to draw the heat away. The piece o metalis made up o ns to increase surace area. Oten CPUseven include both active and passive cooling approaches.

    Naturally, the cooler your CPU the better.How much RAM, or temporary memory, will you need?Remember, the more RAM the computer has, the asteryour computer will be. Your programs will be able to runsimultaneously and more eciently.

    How much storage do you need? The Hard Drive storesall o your les and programs. The more hard drive space,the more can t on your computer. File sizes are everincreasing, and the more space you have, the better.External hard drives (these connect to your computer romoutside) can be used to back up additional inormation aswell.

    I graphics are important to you, then a high qualitygraphics card is necessary. Your games and videos willlook and run better. Also, i you need better than averagesound, you can consider a more advanced sound card.However, most computers have a sucient sound card.

    Look or CD, DVD, and CD/DVD burning drives dependingon your needs. Drives that burn (write) data and musicto disks rather than just reading disks. Not all CD drives dothis, so check out those specs! CD-R and DVD-R drives canhave data written to them once; CD-RW and DVD-RW canhave inormation burned to them repeatedly.

    Many computers now include wireless capability.Many, but not all so watch or built-in wireless i this isimportant to you.

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    A ew things to keep in mind: More disk space is better, disks ll up over

    time

    File sizes are constantly increasing

    File size is restricted by memory/storage de-vice capacity

    Memory and storage are specic to certaintypes o devices and le types

    Standard Increments

    A bit is the smallest increment or data that canbe ound on a computer. Because bits are sosmall, you rarely work with single bits. Normallythey are assembled into bytes: 8 bits = 1 byte. Abyte is still very small; one byte can store a singlecharacter, like an alphabet letter.

    So how many songs can you store with 1 GB ostorage? That answer can very - it depends onthe size and compression o the music le. Still,one minute o music is oten thought to beabout 1 MB o storage. So you can guess that 1

    GB will hold somewhere around300 - 400 songs.

    Basic Increments:

    8 bits = 1 byte = about 1 alphabet letter

    1,024 bytes = 1 kilobyte (KB) = about 1 page otext

    1,000 KB = 1 megabyte (MB) = about a large book

    1,000 MB = 1 gigabyte (GB) = about 2 smalllibrary

    1,000 GB = 1 terabyte (TB)

    Storage and Measurements

    Disk storage : measured in MB, GB, TB

    File Size : KB, MB, GB, TB

    RAM Memory : MB, GB

    Data Speed : Mbits/second (Example : USB 2.0up to 480 Mb/s = 60 MB/S

    Examples o storage devices:

    Floppy disk: 1.44 MB

    Thumb drives: 16 GB (max)

    CD-ROM: 720 MB

    DVD: 4.7 GB

    Email account: 10 MB (example)

    Hard disk drives (internal/external): 1 TB +

    MP3 players: 128 MB & GBs / 250 songs (128bit rate) = 1 GB

    Table 1 : Examples of FileTypes and Capacity

    File Types File NamesText Message (byte) n/a

    Text/Web Page (KB/MB) doc, txt, pd, rt, html,rss, odt, swx

    Graphics (KB/MB) bmp, gi, jpeg, png

    Audio (KB/MB) mp3, wma, ac, wav

    Video (MB) avi, mpg, mp4

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    inTroduCTionTo geekspe

    Table 2 : Examples of File Types Across Platforms

    Personal Computer Components Include:

    Case and power supply

    Motherboard

    Processor

    CPU cooler

    Hard Drive (s)

    CD ROM Drive

    Memory modules

    Cable (s) Floppy drive (i applicable)

    External components (keyboard, mouse, monitor)

    Screws, connecting hardware

    Continue to Module 3 to learn about the parts o your PC.

    Audio Graphics Video Text Programs CompressedFiles

    PC wma, mp3,wav

    bmp, jpg, gi,png

    avi, wmv,mp4, as, rm

    doc, txt,pd, rt

    exe zip, cab

    Linux mp3, ogg, au bmp, jpg, gi,png

    mov, avi,mp4

    odt, swx,pd, tr, txt

    c, sh, php tar, gz, tgz, z

    Mac aac, mp3 bmp, jpg, mp4,rm, qt

    mov, avi,mp4, rm, qt

    doc, txt,pd, rt

    dmg zip

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    What did you learn in Module 2?

    1. How many MBs go into 1 GB?

    2. What is ROM?

    3. What are two examples o le types / extensions?

    4. What is the rst question you should ask yoursel beore buying orbuilding a computer?

    5. What is one type o audio le?

    6. Name two storage devices and explain their use

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    3 PC Hardware

    1. Monitor 2. Motherboard 3. Central Processing Unit 4. RAM (Memory) 5. Expansion Cards

    6. Power Supply 7. Optical Disc Drive 8. Hard Drive Disc 9. Keyboard 10. Mouse

    While styles o personal computers vary, the basic parts that make them up can be oundregardless o brand or model. The components o a personal computer are as ollows:

    Figure 3 : PC Components (exploded view)

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    Anything with multiple parts and unctions needs something holding ittogether. The computer case (called the chassis) houses the computers internalcomponents including the motherboard, hard disk, CPU, and everything elseaside rom outer peripherals like the monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, etc.Inside the chassis you will see bays to hold hard disks, space or the powersupply unit, and a panel or connectors.

    Figure 4 : Chassis

    The Chassis (Case)

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    pC hardwa

    The Motherboard

    Figure 5 : Parts on the Motherboard

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    The motherboard holds the electrical pathways that allow inormation to

    travel between components. When you look at the motherboard, you seethe physical arrangement o your PC and motherboard components.

    The motherboard connects other components, and aids in communicationbetween them.

    Including:The CPU Socket : holds the CPU

    Slots or Cards : including video, sound and memory

    Cooling Devices : active and /or passive

    BIOS : Basic Input / Output System

    Connectors or peripherals (keyboard, mouse, etc)

    Figure 6 : Motherboard

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    pC hardwa

    The Microprocessor (CPU)

    The Central Processing Unit (CPU), or Microprocessor, is a computer chipoten reerred to as the computers brain. The CPU directs most o thetasks that take place inside the computer, along with perorming mathcalculations, sending and receiving data rom memory, and processinginstructions rom hardware and sotware. Inormation travels on CPUpathways collectively called the ront side bus (FSB). Generally the higher thebus speed (measured in MHz) the aster the computer.

    Figure 7 : Central Processing Unit

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    The most signicant diference between computers is the CPU and memory.Because the latest computers have CPUs up to 5 GHz speeds, they get very hot.Earlier PCs use a heat sink to passively pull away the heat rom the CPU. Heat sinksusually consist o numerous metal ns. The ns create a higher surace area anddistribute the thermal heat away rom the CPU. CPUs also oten use a an to activelydraw the heat away.

    Todays CPU manuacturers, such as INTEL and AMD, combine bothpassive and active approaches to cooling. Cooling is very important:processor speed and memory (RAM) has doubled about every 24months has doubled since the 1960s. (see Moores Law, pg. 15)

    Figure 8 : Combined CPU Heat Sink / Fan Figure 9 : Passive Heat Sink

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    pC hardwa

    Hard Disk and CD-ROM Drives

    What is a Hard Drive?

    The Hard Disk, or Hard Drive, is the primary way the computer storesinormation. Even when the computer is of, the hard drive holds your

    les. Located inside the computer, most hard drives can now holdhundreds o gigabytes (GB) o data. To put this gure in perspective: a100 GB hard drive can hold approximately 25,000 songs.

    I you require more storage, you can purchase an external hard driveor add another internal hard drive. When building your computer, it isalways a good idea to leave extra space or subsequent hard drives.

    Also, hard drives tend to create a lot o heat, so leave one or morebays empty between drives or better cooling whenever possible.Extra space will allow air to move reely between the drives.

    Figure 10 : The Inside o the Hard Disk

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    How does it work?

    The hard drive is an electromagnetic disk divided into sectors. Within thesectors are tracks that divide each sector horizontally. Picture the disks dividedup like a sliced pie, with each slice then divided by the concentric rings (likegrooves on an LP record) that divide the sector. This creates an address orcoordinates similar to the latitude and longitude o the earth.

    When one track is ull, the data is written to the next track, and so on until thesector is ull. As the disk lls, it searches or any remaining available space.

    Figure 11 : Hard Disk Cylinders and Sectors

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    What is a CD-ROM drive? How is it diferent rom the Hard Drive?

    The compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) drive is where you insert compact disks(CDs) containing inormation, music, or sotware. The computer will read the contentsonly, not make any changes to it. A CD-R drive is used to record data or music to a discpermanently. CD-RW discs allow you to record data, then later erase and re-record i youwant to.

    CD-ROM drives work much the same way as a hard drive, except instead o anelectromagnetic device that reads and writes, the CD-ROM uses a laser to read or writedata to the disk.

    Figure 12 : CD-ROM Drive

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    RAM is used only when the computer is running, and accesses inormation you arecurrently using.

    Imagine that you are working at a desk with enough space to spread out your papersor a project. The desk has enough space or some o your materials, but not or all othem; you store the papers you wish to save or a long time in a ling cabinet. You cancall the surace o the desk the short-term storage, and the ling cabinet your long-term

    storage.

    To work with your papers, you must retrieve them rom the ling cabinet. RAM, ourphysical desk, retrieves your document rom the hard disk, acting as the computerslong-term memory, and stores them there or updates.

    The more RAM memory thats available, the larger the workspace, and consequentlyyou can work with more materials at one time. Only a xed amount o papers will tpractically on your desks surace; some papers will remain in the ling cabinet until youare nished with those you are currently using.

    When RAM reaches its capacity (i.e., when the desk is ull), the computer will swap lesrom RAM back to the hard drive.

    Random Access Memory (RAM)

    Figure 13 : RAM

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    Power Supply

    The power supply is ound on the chassis. Cables rom the power

    supply plug into the motherboard. To power the computer, a cordrom the power supply plugs into your wall or other power source.

    Figure 14 : Power Supply

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    The Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) is a chiplocated on the motherboard that maintains inormation aboutthe computers system. Inormation such as the date and time,hard disk type, and boot (start-up) order are stored even while thecomputer is turned of. The CMOS settings are preserved by theCMOS battery. When the computer power is turned on, the CMOSpasses inormation to the BIOS (see page 22).

    CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor)

    Figure 15 : CMOS

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    Slots and Cards

    Network cards, audio cards, and RAM all t intoslots built into the motherboard.

    Things to keep in mind about slots and cards:

    The slots are close together. Arrange the cardsso that all the cards can t side by side. Unlessthe slot is or a specic type o card such as the

    graphics card, you can slide the cards into anyo the slots.

    Some cards have connectors that are accessiblerom outside the computer chassis. Forexample, a network card will have a 10Base-Tconnector or a CAT 5 cable that connectsto the internet. Audio cards have externalconnectors or attaching diferent types ospeakers, headphones, and videogame audio.

    Basic Input / Output System (BIOS)The BIOS, or Basic Input / Output System, is achip located in the middle o the motherboard,and tells the hardware how to make youroperating system run. In act, the BIOS is sorto like an operating system or your operatingsystem. The BIOS is really considered bothhardware and sotware.

    Picture a layer cake: think o the BIOS as thebase layer, ollowed by the operating system,and lastly the computer programs. While thesecomponents are not physically layered on topo each other, they support each other in thatorder. You can use the BIOS or making subtleadjustments to your system, such as changingthe speed o the RAM, changing the time, andupdating or adding passwords.

    BIOS congures date/time, language, boot order,total installed memory (per slot, ex, 128 MB),inormation about CPU speed, power saving, and

    more.With newer computers the operating system(Xubuntu, Windows, Mac OS X, etc) perormsmany o the BIOS eatures.

    Figure 16 : Slots on the Motherboard

    Figure 17 : The BIOS Utility

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    Peripherals

    PC Peripherals are components ound connected outside thecomputer case. Peripherals include your keyboard, monitor,mouse, printer, and external hard drive.

    Figure 18: Keyboard

    Figure 19: Mouse

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    What did you learn in Module 3?

    1. What is RAM?

    2. Give two examples o peripherals.

    3. What does CPU stand or?

    4. Is a Heat Sink an example o passive oractive ventilation (cooling)?

    5. Name ve components ound inside a PC.

    6. Why is the computer able to retain the dateand time when the power is of?

    7. Why would a CPU have two coolingsystems?

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    4 Sotware and InstallationAbout Operating Systems

    An Operating System (OS) unctions as a layer o

    sotware that allows hardware and applications(sotware) to communicate.

    No sotware applications can run without anoperating system. The OS distributes memory,processes tasks, accesses things like your mouseand keyboard (peripherals), and serves as theuser interace.

    Operating systems include Windows, Mac OS,and Linux, and allow programmers to work with

    a basic standard ormat when writing sotware.Think o a restaurant: The restaurant requires thekitchen wait staf, dining room, dishwashers, etc.But without a basic system o organization andcommunication, the restaurant would not run atall.

    What is Xubuntu?

    Xubuntu (pronounced Xoo-Boon-too) is thenewest version o the Ubuntu operating system,which is a branch o Linux. Ubuntu is known asone o the most user-riendly versions o Linux.

    Mark Shuttleworth, an entrepreneur rom SouthArica, has unded many open source projects.

    Ubuntu was one o them, and he named thesotware project ater an Arican concept:humanity towards others (Prott 2008, 13).

    Open Source and Ubuntu are community-ocused projects. The community o developersand designers make it possible or the projects toextend to the community o computer-users atlarge. Ubuntu is known or increased eciencyand usability when compared to previous Linux-based operating systems.

    Linux is known as the kernel (core) o anoperating system, rather than the ull operatingsystem in itsel. Xubuntu includes the Linuxkernel. A ull operating system includes sotware

    to communicate with all o the diferent partso the computer, like the keyboard, mouse,applications, etc, as well as to make things likeicons and windows (Prott 2008, 5). The kernelis responsible or organizing the computerstasks, and all operating systems have kernels.

    The Linux kernel is important because, whencompared to other operating systems such asWindows, it runs much more eciently. Linuxrequires ewer resources to run, because all itsparts are not necessarily inter-connected.

    Xubuntu Distribution

    What does ree sotware mean?

    The GNU/Linux ree sotware license guaranteednot only that the operating system is ree to use,but also that users can use it in any way. Thatincludes selling, distributing, and changing theoperating system itsel. In open source terms,

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    the word ree holds multiple meanings. BrianPrott, author oIntroducing Ubuntu, puts it thisway:

    Heres the sotware. Heres the sourcecode. Do what you want with it. I youimprove it, make sure you include all othe source code with your improvementsand pass it along. Dont ever try to keepother people rom getting yourimprovements to the source code Beexcellent to each other (Prott 2008, 8)

    How is it distributed?

    Sotware distributions are always eithercommercial or non-commercial, which meansbasically or prot or not-or-prot.

    Some distributions include :

    Commercial:

    Red Hat Enterprise Linux

    SUS Linux Enterprise Server

    Mandriva Linux

    Xandros

    Noncommercial:

    Debian GNU/Linux

    Slackware Linux

    Fedora

    Freespire

    Installing Xubuntu

    Xubuntu can be downloaded rom the internetor installed rom a CD. You can run Xubuntu romthe CD (LiveCD) or install it permanently on yourmachine. Consider how much RAM you have.I you dont have much, running the operatingsystem rom the CD will be very slow.

    So what is the benet o running your operatingsystem directly rom the disk?

    1. You can try it beore you commit toinstalling it

    2. You can take it with you to use onmultiple computers

    To run Xununtu rom the CD, simply insert thedisk into your CD-Rom drive and restart your

    computer, and choose the option to Boot. Youcan choose the Install option i you wouldrather install.

    Shareware vs. Freeware

    What is the dierence between Sharewareand Freeware?

    Freeware is, as the word sounds, ree sotware.

    The meaning is slightly diferent than opensource in that you will not necessarily have theability to modiy the sotware, and you may nothave as much guaranteed community support.

    Shareware is sotware that can be aquired orree, but payment is suggested.

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    open sourCe sofTwareand insTallaTio

    About Open Ofce

    Most popularly used commercial sotware has an open source equivalent. For word

    processing and other related tools, Open Oce provides an ever-improving, ree version.Open Oce includes tools or word processing, calculating and spreadsheets, instantmessaging, photo / image editing, and more.

    Open Oce can be ound at: www.openoce.org

    Figure 20: Open Ofce Logo

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    What did you learn in Module 4?

    1. What is the diference between reeware and shareware?

    2. Is Open Source sotware always ree?

    3. Where can you get Xubuntu?

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    5 PC Security and the InternetUnix/Linux is oten thought o as more securethan other operating systems because o theway it is built and because most viruses are

    not directed at computers running Linux.However, it is still very important to take securityprecautions.

    Precautions When Using the Internet

    Spam and Viruses

    Spam is an unsolicited electronic message, andusually attempts to sell a product or aquirepersonal inormation. Spam can sometimescontain viruses. A computer virus is a programthat spreads rom one machine to others, andis designed to inect a computer or a variety opurposes, and is usually destructive.

    Tips or keeping your computer sae:

    Never open email when you are not sure o thesource. A virus can inect your computer simplyrom opening an email or attachment. Your emailsystem can even spread the virus to everyone inyour address book.

    Make sure emails appear to be authentic beoreopening them. Your email address and those opeople you know can be imitated. Look at thesubject line as well as the sender.

    Phishing

    A phishing email attempts to obtain criticalinormation such as credit card numbers and

    usernames and passwords by trying to appeartrustworthy or impersonating another entity (likea bank). Consistently ollowing sae practices

    like deleting email you are uncertain o willhelp to keep you secure rom phishing and otherscams. I an email or other message prompts youto enter personal inormation into a website,simply seek the ocial website out directly tomake sure it is secure. Always question messagesasking or personal inormation.

    Internet Browsing

    Surng the internet requires an applicationcalled a browser. Applications such as Internet

    Explorer, Apple Saari, and Mozilla Fireox allowus to access the World Wide Web.

    Regardless o the type o browser you have,security is important.

    You can set your internet preerence to be moreor less secure. Setting up a frewallcan block allunauthorized access to your machine. You canalso set your browser to private browsing andempty out your internet history i you wish tokeep your internet use more private.

    5 Important Tips or Internet Security:

    Install Anti-Virus Sotware Only open known email attachments

    Vary your passwords or your online accounts(do not use the same one every time!)

    Log of o the internet when you are nishedusing it

    Install a frewallto block unauthorized accessto your computer and personal inormation

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    About PasswordsA password is important when using the Internet. For example, you will need a password to accessthe ollowing activities on the Internet:

    Creating email accounts

    Shopping

    Social networking

    School

    I someone gets your password they can access your accounts and use your personal inormationwithout your permission. They may even impersonate you. Keep your password private.

    Protect your password - keep it secret.

    Dont let anyone see your password when your typing.

    Picking a Password

    When you pick a password keep this in mind about the password you select - EASY TO REMEMBER,HARD TO GUESS - because you will need it on more than one website. Also make it easy to keep inmind, so you dont need to write it down.

    Here are some guidelines or you to consider when picking a password, use:

    at least eight characters or more

    a mix o letters and numbers

    at least one capitalized letter

    letters or numbers without repeating

    a password thats easy to remember

    The more you do the above: the stronger the password and the harder to guess.

    Can you pick a strong password?Here are some ideas:

    Associate two unrelated words that rhyme. For example, NexiusPerplexius.

    Pick a birthday in your amily but not your birthday. For example, 03-25-89 and add letters = Z03-25-89e.

    A phrase that sticks out. For example, pinkismyavoritecolor.

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    pC seCuriTyandThe inTern

    What did you learn in Module 5?

    1. What is one precaution you can take to keep your PC Secure?

    2. What is phishing?

    3. List two tips or internet security.

    4. What is a browser?

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    GlossaryBIOS: Stands or Basic Input/Output System. The BIOS is a program pre-installed on Windows-based computers (not on Macs) that the computer uses to start up. The CPU accesses the BIOSeven beore the operating system is loaded. The BIOS then checks all your hardware connections

    and locates all your devices. I everything is OK, the BIOS loads the operating system and nishesthe boot-up process. BIOS is considered both hardware and sotware, because it is a chip on themotherboard as well as a system on the computer.

    Booting:To boot a computer is to start it up and get it running. To do this, press the powerbutton. Ater that, the boot process begins. The boot process is complete once the operating systemis loaded and the computer is read or use. (see BIOS)

    Browser: A Web browser, oten just called a browser, is the program people use to access theWorld Wide Web. Some common browsers are Microsot Internet Explorer, Netscape Communicator,and Apple Saari.

    Burn: When you burn a disc, you write data on it. The reason the term burn is used is because theCD-writer, or burner, literally burns the data onto a writable CD.

    Chassis:The outer case o the computer. In general terms, the word chassis means thesupporting rame o a structure (Merriam Webster Dictionary : www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/)

    CMOS: In a computer, the CMOS, or Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor, holds the

    date and time and other basic system settings. The CMOS relies on the CMOS battery to save thisinormation.

    CPU: Stands or Central Processing Unit, and is also called the Microprocessor. The CPU controlsthe operation o a computer. It is a chip or circuit ound on the motherboard that executes programsby processing a list o instructions which perorm arithmetic and logical operations and decode andexecute instructions.

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    Firewall: A computer rewall limits the data that can pass through it and protects a networkedserver or client machine rom damage by unauthorized users. In short, it keeps your computer andpersonal inormation rom being accessed by unauthorized people.

    Graphical User Interace: Known as GUI, and allows users to click and drag objects with amouse instead o entering text at a command line. GUI was rst introduced to the public by Applewith the Macintosh in 1984. However, the idea was actually taken rom an earlier user interacedeveloped by Xerox.

    Heat Sink:The heat sink passively dissipates heat in order to cool the processor and keep it romover-heating. The heat sink is made out o metal, such as a zinc or copper alloy, and is attached to theprocessor with a thermal material that draws the heat rom away the processor towards the heat sink.Fans (active cooling) are also used to cool the CPU.

    Hard Drive:The hard drive is what stores all your data. It houses the hard disk, where all your lesand olders are physically located. A typical hard drive is only slightly larger than your hand, yet canhold over 100 GB o data. T he term hard drive is actually short or hard disk drive. The term harddisk reers to the actual disks inside the drive. However, all three o these terms are usually seen asreerring to the same thing -- the place where your data is stored.

    Linux: Pronounced lihnuks, this is a Unix-based operating system created by Linus Torvalds. His

    reason or developing it was that he wasnt happy with the currently available options in Unix. Linuxis reely distributed and is used all over the world. It can be changed and customized, and there aremany versions in existence. (see Xubuntu)

    Mainrame: A mainrame originally meant the cabinet containing the central processor unit oa very large computer. Ater minicomputers became available, the word mainrame came to reer tothe large computer itsel. Today a desktop computer can have as much power as the large computersthat once lled a whole room.

    Motherboard:The main circuit board inside a computer that everything in the computer plugsinto and contains the CPU, memory slots, and other components.

    Operating System: Also known as an OS, this is the sotware that communicates withcomputer hardware and programs. Without an operating system, no sotware programs can run. TheOS is what distributes memory, processes tasks, accesses disks and peripherials. The operating systemalso serves as the interace - this allows people to communicate with the computer.

    PC: Stands or Personal computer. PCs are are what most people use on a daily basis or work orpersonal use. Most PCS today include a monitor, mouse, keyboard as well as connecting ports orprinters, speakers, and other peripherals.

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    glossa

    Phishing: Phishing is similar to shing in a lake, but instead o trying to capture sh, phishersattempt to steal your personal inormation. They send out e-mails that appear to come romlegitimate websites such as eBay, PayPal, or other banking institutions. Phishing emails makeraudulent claims and try to get you to enter passwords, credit card numbers, social securitynumbers, and other personal inormation.

    RAM: Stands or Random Access Memory. Cards o RAM t into slots on your motherboard. Themore RAM (or temporary memory) you have, the more programs you can run at a time and the asteryour computer will run.

    SPAM: Reers to junk e-mail or irrelevant postings to a newsgroup or bulletin board. Spam isunsolicited email selling anything rom car loans to weight loss supplements.

    USB: Stands or Universal Serial Bus. USB is the most common type o computer port used intodays computers. It can be used to connect keyboards, mice, game controllers, printers, scanners,digital cameras, removable media drives, and more. USB is aster than older types o connectingports.

    Virus: Like a biological virus, a computer virus is something you dont want to get. Computerviruses are small programs or scripts that can negatively afect the health o your computer. These

    malicious little programs can create les, move les, erase les, consume your computers memory,and cause your computer not to unction correctly. Anti-virus sotware can be used to protect yourcomputer.

    Xubuntu: (courtesy o http://www.xubuntu.org) : a community developed, Linux-based operatingsystem that is perect or laptops, desktops and servers. It contains all the applications you need - aweb browser, document and spreadsheet editing sotware, instant messaging and much more. (seeLinux)

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    Activity # 1: Go Shopping

    Activity 1 Instructions: Go Shopping

    Now that you know all about hardware and sotware and can understand computer specications innewspapers and advertisements, we are giving you $2,000 virtual dollars to spend on a computer.

    Actually your assignment is spend up to $2,000 virtual dollars. You can spend the whole amount orjust enough to buy the computer that ts your needs. However, you must stick to the budget. I yougo 1 over budget youll need to rethink your purchase.

    Use the Internet to shop or your computer. Remember you are selecting either a laptop or desktop,which can be new or used, and a printer. Select the system that you eel best meets your computingneeds and what youll be using the computer or. For example, are you mostly surng the web,emailing, and using the computer or school work. Or are you using the computer or gaming andplaying music?

    We also want to see how your money was spent, whether you made a single purchase or several

    purchases to include everything you need. Dont orget the sotware; was sotware bundled withyour system or did you need to buy it?

    Use the ollowing two orms provided in the workbook to complete this activity:

    Use the Shopping List orm to select the system thats right or you.

    Use the Invoice orm to document the cost o your system.

    List the cost o each o your purchases on the invoice sheet. We want to know exactly whatyour system cost you and what you spent your money on. When youve nished, tear thepage out, and turn it in to your teacher.

    For example, i you bought a display or $300, then write Display under the Items columnand right next to it in the Cost column write $300. I you bought a desktop that includes allthe system componets you researched rom your Shopping List, then list those componentsunder the Item(s) column. Right next to the item put the cost or that item in the Costcolumn. Then add every up and write in the total cost.

    When youve nished shopping, tear the orms out o this workbook, and turn them in to yourteacher.

    Appendix A: Classroom Activities

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    Store Questions Your AnswersName o store

    Location o store

    Website used

    New or used

    Desktop Questions Your Answers

    Brand o desktop computer

    Operating system

    Speed o CPU (in Hz)

    Type o CPU (Pentium4, Power PC, etc.)Capacity o hard drive

    Speed o hard drive (in RPM)

    Type o optical drive (CD-ROM, DVD)

    Speed o optical drive

    Amount o RAM

    Make and model o screen display

    Size o screen display

    Laptop Questions Your Answers

    Brand o laptop computerOperating system

    Speed o CPU (in Hz)

    Type o CPU (Pentium4, Power PC, etc.)

    Capacity o hard drive

    Speed o hard drive (in RPM)

    Type o optical drive (CD-ROM, DVD)

    Speed o optical drive

    Amount o RAM

    Size o screen displayWeight (in lbs)

    Size (in inches)

    Printer Questions Your Answers

    Make and model o printer

    Type o printer (laser or inkjet)

    Color or black and white

    Speed o printer (pgs per min)

    PC Shopping List

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    appendix

    Invoice

    Items (s) Cost

    Total Cost

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    Extra Credit Assignment

    Explain Your Purchase. Write a paragraph about your computing needs and your thought processwhile shopping on this page. When youve nished writing, tear this page out and turn it in to yourteacher.

    Start with what you already use your computer or either at school, the library, or your home. I youwant to improve your computing experience how will a new computer change that? Are there anysotware appplications that your new computer will run that the computer youre currently usingwont?

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    appendix

    Congratulations! Youre ocially a nerd. Find the techie lingo in the puzzles below.

    Activity # 2 : Word Puzzles

    Find the ollowing terms :

    BIOS, Booting, Browser, Burn, CD-ROM, Chassis, CMOS, CPU, Firewall, GUI,Hardware, Heatsink, Linux, Mainrame, Memory, Motherboard, Open Source,Phishing, RAM, Slot, SPAM, System, Ubuntu, Upgrade, USB

    Word Puzzle # 1

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    Word Puzzle # 2

    Find the ollowing terms :

    Anti-virus, BIOS, Card, Components, Data, ENIAC, File, Floppy Drive, Free Geek,Gigabyte, Hardware, Install, Keyboard, Megabyte, Monitor, Moores Law, Mouse,Operating System, Peripheral, Power Supply, Processor, Sotware, Storage,Windows

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    Appendix B: Free and Open Source Software

    These are some applications that are ree, there are surely many others. Some o these applicationsmay have come with your computer depending on the operating system. When the source code isavailable or programmers to modiy, then its an open source application. Open source applicationsare usually compatible with multiple operating systems (OS) that is, cross-platorm compatible.

    Do a search on the ollowing program names to locate websites were you can download theapplication :

    Childrens Applications

    Name Description Operating System

    Tux Paint Paint and draw pictures Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    Tux Typing Learn keyboarding, letter recognition, letterrecognition and diferentiation, small motor skills,spelling, typing, and more

    Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    Tux Math Learn keyboarding, number recognition, numberdiferentiation, small motor skills, addition,

    subtraction, and more

    Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    Childsplay Enhance memory, small motor skills, letterrecognition/diferentiation, sound memory. Includespuzzles, ashcards, and more.

    Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    Seterra Play geography games or school-agers Windows

    Sebrans ABC Learn letter recognition/diferentiation, numberrecognition, simple math, counting, early reading

    Windows

    Minisebran Learn better recognition, letter diferentiation,number recognition, counting, early reading skills oryounger children

    Windows

    Selingua Learn languages : German, Spanish, French, andSwedish Windows

    Schoolorge.net is an Internet repository or open source sotware or children. Some applicationsregistered with SchoolForge are unnished, some are old, but they have a wide-selection oapplications worth browsing. Most applications are cross-platorm compatible (Windows, Mac, andLinux) and is likely the best source o eely available childrens sotware or the Xubuntu platorm.

    Table 3: Childrens Applications

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    Name Description Operating System

    Audacity Audio production Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    CamStudio Streaming video Windows

    eDraw Mindmap Draw mind maps, oorplans,ow charts.

    Windows

    FLV Crunch Convert video les ormats ordiferent video players.

    Mac OS

    FormatFactory Convert video les ormats ordiferent video players. Windows

    GIMP Draw and manipulate pictures.

    (GNU Image ManipulationProgram)

    Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    iMovie Creates movies rom picturesand videos.

    Mac OS

    Inkscape Draw complex diagrams andpictures. Similar to Illustrator.

    Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    iPhoto Edit and manage photos. Mac OS

    Kates Video Converter Convert video les ormats ordiferent video players.

    Windows

    MWSnap Capture screen shots. Windows

    Paintbrush Draw and manipulate pictures. Mac OS

    Photo Story Create digital slideshows or TV,computer, or Windows portabledevice.

    Windows XP

    Seashore Edit images. Mac OS

    Songbird Play and manage digital music,and listen to Internet radio.

    Mac OS, cross-platorm versionscoming.

    Windows Movie Maker Creates movies rom pictures

    and videos.

    Windows XP, Vista

    Windows Photo Gallery Edit and manage photos. Windows Vista

    Windows Picture Manager Edit and manage photos. Windows XP

    Creativity

    Table 4: Applications or Creativity

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    appendix

    Ofce Productivity

    Name Description Operating System

    Apple Mail Email Mac OS

    Chrome Browser Windows XP, Vista, cross-platorm versions coming.

    Fireox Browser Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    iCal Calendar and Task List Mac OS

    Internet Explorer Browser Windows

    Juice Podcast receiver listen/learnat computer Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    Mozilla Lightning Calendar and Task List.Integrates with Mozilla

    Thunderbird.

    Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    Mozilla Sunbird Calendar Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    Mozilla Thunderbird Email, RSS eed, Newsgroups Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    MWSnap Screen capture Windows

    OpenOce.org Writer (word processor),Impress (presentations), Calc(spreadsheet), Draw, Base(database). Reads all similar MSapplications.

    Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    OpenProj Project Management Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    Outlook Express Email and Newsgroups Windows XP and earlierversions

    Saari Browser Mac OS, Windows XP, Vista

    Scribus Desktop Publisher Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    Windows Calendar Calendar and Task List Windows Vista

    Windows Mail Email and Newsgroups Windows Vista

    Table 5: Applications or Ofce Productivity

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    PC Hardware and Assembly Workbook

    Financial Applications

    Name Description Operating System

    GnuCash Accounting (imports QuickenQIF les)

    Windows, Mac OS, Linux

    Intuit QuickBooks SimpleStart

    Small business bookkeeping Windows

    MS Oce Accounting Express Small business bookkeeping Windows

    NCH Sotware Express Ac-counts

    Small business bookkeepingand accounting

    Windows, Mac OS

    Figure 6: Financial Applications

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    Reerences

    Barbara Fritchman Thompson and Robert Bruce Thompson. Building the Perect PC. Sebastobol, CA :OReilly Media Inc. , 2007.

    McFredries, Paul. Computers Simplifed. 7th Edition. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing, Inc. , 2007.

    Prott, Brian. Introducing Ubuntu : Desktop Linux.Thomas Course Technology, 2008

    Free Geek Providence. Accessed 8/2009. http://www.reegeekpvd.org

    Open Source. Accessed 8/2009. http://www.opensource.org

    XUbuntu. Accessed 8/2009. http://xubuntu.org

    Tech Terms Computer Denitions. Accessed 7/2009.www.techterms.com

    All images Public DomainFigure 3 and Figure 7 licensed under Creative Commons ShareAlike

    Personal Computer Exploded (image). Available rom: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Personal_computer,_exploded_5.svg (accessed July 2009).

    CPU (image). Available rom: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CPU_Intel_80486DX-50.JPG

    (accessed July 2009).

    Suggestions or Further Reading

    http://www.gnu.org/

    www.openoce.org

    en.ossmanuals.net/openoce

    ubuntuorums.org

    help.ubuntu.com

    www.ubuntu.com/support/community/mailinglists

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