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Computer Basics

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Data

2:28 with Joy Kesten

At the most basic level, when a computer runs an application, it follows the list of instructions you or another person has written. This list of instructions is called a program. Often programs take in or spit out data. Whether you're checking the weather or writing a paper, programs are constantly handling data.

Energia Wiki on GitHub

MSP430 LaunchPad

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    [MUSIC] 0:00
    At the most basic level, when a computer runs an application, 0:04
    it follows the list of instructions you or another person has written. 0:08
    This list of instructions is called a program. 0:13
    Often programs take in or spit out some form of data. 0:16
    Whether you're checking the weather or writing a paper, 0:20
    programs are constantly handling data. 0:22
    Data [SOUND] itself is a piece or pieces of information. 0:25
    Almost all data is ultimately represented in [SOUND] binary form. 0:29
    Meaning [SOUND] data at its essence is just a series of 0s and 1s. 0:33
    [SOUND] These binary digits, 0 and 1, 0:38
    can be represented easily using electrical circuits. 0:41
    A bit, which is like a switch, is either off or on. 0:45
    If the switch is off, it's a 0. 0:49
    If it's on, it's a 1. 0:51
    An easy way to visualize binary is on a circuit board. 0:54
    To represent 1 and 0, we use high and low voltages to turn an LED on and off. 0:58
    Let's use this Texas Instrument launch pad for a tangible example of binary. 1:06
    We're using HIGH to turn the LED on to represent the binary 1. 1:11
    And to turn the LED off, we'll use LOW or the binary 0. 1:17
    But say instead I wanted to loop it from on to off or 1 to 0 and back again. 1:23
    I might write a program that looks like this. 1:30
    Turn it on, wait for a second, turn it off, wait for a second. 1:35
    Turn it on, wait for a second, turn it off, wait for a second. 1:41
    Now, this code is using Energia, which we don't really teach here at Treehouse. 1:46
    But if you're interested, in the teacher's notes I've linked the wiki page 1:51
    that you can find on GitHub and the link to the microcontroller I'm using. 1:56
    The fundamental building blocks of a computer is this idea of a switch, 2:01
    on or off. 2:05
    In a digital computer, this switch takes the form of a transistor. 2:07
    Before digital computers, they used vacuum tubes to do this. 2:11
    In order to store data or run programs, we need to first convert the programs 2:15
    into something that can actually be performed by the physical hardware. 2:19
    In most cases, this means turning the programs we write into binary. 2:23

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