Bytes

Bytes are used to measure the amount of information a device can store.

BYTE

One byte is one character. A character can be anumber, letter or symbol. One byte consists of eight bits (binary digits). A bit is the smallest unit of information a computer can processes.

KILOBYTE (K)

One kilobyte is 1,024 characters. This is approximately equal to onepage of double-spaced text.

Megabyte (MB)

One megabyte is 1,048,576 characters. This is approximately equal to one book.

Gigabyte (GB)

One gigabyte is 1,073,741,824 characters. This is approximately equal to 1,000 books, or a study lined with bookshelves.

Terabyte (TB)

One terabyte is 1,099,511,627,776 characters. This is approximately equal to an entire library of books.

Types of Computer Systems

There are several types of computer systems.

PC (Personal Computer)

A PC is a computer designed to meet the needs of one person and usually refers to IBM-compatible computers. PCs are found in many businesses and are popular for home use.

Macintosh

Macintosh computers are found in many homes and are very popular in the graphics, publishing and multimedia industries. The macintosh was the first home computer that offered a graphical display.

Mainframe

A mainframe is a computer that can process and store large amounts of information and support many users at the same time.

A terminal, consisting of a keyboard and monitor, is used to input and output information on a mainframe.

Mainframe

A mainframe is a computer that can process and store large amounts of information and support many users at the same time.

A terminal, consisting of a keyboard and monitor, is used to input and output information on a mainframe.

Set-top Box

A set-top box is a computer devices that connects to you television. Set-top boxes allow you to use your telephone line or television cable connection to browse the Internet and exchange electronic mail on your television.