A)
Microprocessor: The chip that holds the Central Processing Unit (CPU). The CPU is the brain on the computer. The microprocessor is also responsible for containing the necessary hardware such as pins, or contacts to connect itself to the motherboard or socket/slot/etc.

Hardware: Anything physical that can be touched in regards to computer systems. Things such as motherboards, RAM, HDDs, etc. Computer devices with exposed capacitors, pins, wires, contacts are hardware.

BUS: The interconnectivity of wires between various components that the computer needs to send information to and from. The BUS is the main bottle neck of ANY computer. Eliminate the need for a bus and processing speeds will increase exponentially.

Resource: The measurement or percentage of the system being utilized versus the amount of system that can be used to do other and or more tasks. Each task dictated to the computer requires a certain percentage of the system’s resources. The more memory, the faster the CPU(s), the quicker the BUS, the more resources you will have to do more tasks or “multi-task”.

Storage: Storage usually comes in two flavors: Network Storage and Local Storage. Either way you look at it, storage is the amount of memory you have to retain data (non volatile). For the most part this includes HDDs, some sort of Flash Memory, and SSDs (my absolute favorite). Remember to be redundant; don’t learn about redundancy the hard way… (

I/O Device: Technically speaking, any device that can both give and receive data from/to a computer. A cd/dvd/blu-ray-burner drive is an I/O device because you can write to it, and obtain data from it. A mouse is an input device only; you can only give the computer coordinates to where to move the pointer. A flash drive is an I/O Device because you can move data to and from it.

RAM: Random Access Memory, a major component in any computer, server, or high load printer. RAM is volatile, so it will lose any data stored there when the computer or printer is reset or powered off. There are many different types of RAM chips. There are tons of different factors, speeds, module sizes, timings, etc. RAM works very closely in aiding the CPU with the communication of all the devices associated with the computer. Every instruction or task the CPU has to do needs to be stored somewhere. Since RAM access is extremely fast, we use RAM instead of the HDD, although sometimes the HDD is used when the amount of RAM is lacking. IE: “Virtual Memory”.

System Software: Software that enables the OS to work affectively. All “Behind the scenes” type software that enables the user to have a happy, friendly GUI to use. System Software includes compilers, loaders, linkers, and debuggers.

Application: Applications are end-user programs. Pretty much anything the user wants to install and use is an application with the exception of plugins: (Flash/Shockwave/Java). Microsoft Office, Nero Burning-Rom, PowerISO, Sound Forge, Adobe Photoshop CS4, and Acrobat are all examples of applications.

Microcomputer: A broad category that includes the most popular form factors used today. Microcomputers are laptops, notebooks, PCs, and now even servers. Since computing has expanded so vastly, even microcomputers make fantastic servers that can support hundreds of users at once. Even rack mount servers are considered microcomputers. Microcomputers are in contrast to mainframes which are now severely outdated. The term “Microcomputer” is certainly dated, and we have since then dropped the “micro” part.

b)
OLED Technology: Organic Light Emitting Diode. This is the display of the future. Each diode is individually lit! This is absolutely amazing. OLED displays offer the brightest, most saturated and color correct, widest viewing angle, lowest latency, and highest contrast picture ever. Not to mention that displays are 3 millimeters thick and the screen can actually bend! LCD screens, plasma screens, and LED-LCD screens are already outdated. The limiting factor right now is the cost, but in retrospect, one has to keep in mind when plasma screens first came out, they were fifteen thousand dollars; the first OLED display to come out is a mere three thousand… OLED technology is so groundbreaking that the “armed forces” has been conducting research and development for quite some time. What they have been working on is on the border of science fiction; it’s absolutely incredible. (If we are doing a paper for this class I’d love the opportunity to do it on this topic, I know I’d do a good job because I am sincerely excited about it.)

** http://www.oled-display.net/how-works-the-oled-technology **

SSD Technology: Solid-State Disk: It’s about damn time… Finally a disk that is not prone to rapid break down. Solid state is basically a flash drive on steroids. Not only are the read and write times blazing fast, but you can drop it and smack it around and it will 9 times out of 10 be unscathed. Stripe (RAID-0) a few SSDs and you are booting within seconds. The power consumption is much less than a conventional HDD, so in laptop you can expect much better battery life. The limiting factor is the cost.

** http://compreviews.about.com/od/storage/a/SSD.htm **