CHAPTER 2

The Visible Computer

In this chapter, you will learn how to

•   Describe how computing devices work

•   Identify common connectors and devices on typical computer systems

•   Discuss features common to operating system software

Charles Babbage didn’t set out to change the world. He just wanted to perform mathematical calculations without worrying about human error, something all too common in his day. Babbage was a mathematician in the nineteenth century, a time well before anyone thought to create electronic calculators or computers (see Figure 2-1). When he worked on complex math, the best “computers” were people who computed by hand. They solved equations using pen or pencil and paper.

Figure 2-1  Charles Babbage, father of ...

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