CIS 2010 Test: Part 1 // (Ch 1 & 2)

What are userless computers?

"Userless" computers: • Many kinds of computers require no human interaction once they have been programmed, installed, and started up (e.g., a car's onboard computer or computers in home appliances, security systems, or navigation systems). • These computers are typically controlled by their operating systems, often installed on special memory chips. • Nevertheless, these systems do have users, just not users who directly interact with the computer. Users depend on the systems to provide the desired outputs.

What are some of essential computer hardware?

A circuit board, processors, memory, input/output devices (communication devices) and storage.

What is a computer?

A computer is a machine that accepts some kind of information, performs actions and calculations according to a set of instructions, and returns the results of its calculations.

What is a computer system?

A computer system is more than a box with components; it encompasses four elements that make the machine fully useful: hardware, software, data and users.

What is a monitor?

A monitor displays images on a screen that is divided into tiny dots, called pixels. Each pixel has a unique address, which the computer uses to locate the pixel and control its appearance. • Monochrome and color: Whatever their type of display, monitors can be categorized by the way they display colors: • Monochrome monitors display only one color, such as green, amber, or white, against a contrasting background (usually black). These monitors are used for text-only displays. PCs today rarely use these monitors. • Grayscale monitors display varying intensities of gray against a white or off-white background. When these displays are used—for example, in low-end portable computers such as handhelds—they are chosen as a way to lower costs. • Color monitors can display between 16 and 16 million colors. If needed, many can be set to display in monochrome or grayscale mode. Most PCs today have color monitors

What is a Solid State Drive (SSD)?

A solid state drive (SSD) is a memory subsystem that relies on special kinds of ROM to permanently store data. SSDs use memory chips and have no moving parts, so they have no risk of losing data due to mechanical failures, and they generally use less power, so they are ideal for mobile computing devices and may represent the future of data storage. • Flash drives are a type of SSD that connects to the computer with a USB plug, which is inserted in a USB port. These easily portable storage devices can hold as much data as some hard drives. • The small, thin memory cards used to store data in phones and computers also are types of SSD. There are two major formats: CompactFlash (CF) and Secure Digital (SD). • These come in a range of styles and storage capacities, typically providing 2 to 32 GB of storage but some storing terabytes of data. • They require little power to run (making them ideal for devices with limited battery capacity) and can be easily removed and transferred to a reader on a PC, allowing quick transfer of images or video to the PC. • These advantages plus falling costs may make SSDs a new standard, replacing hard drives.

What are the categories of computer design?

Analog computers • Usually mechanical • As they operate, their physical state changes from a fixed starting point • Solve only one specific kind of problem ~ • Digital computers—most computers today • Process sequences of numbers (to remember the term, think of digit-al) • Convert input into numeric codes used in calculations • Rely on electrical, not mechanical, components • Extremely fast and flexible

What are audio input devices?

Audio input devices • Microphones are used to record speech (e.g., to create a multimedia presentation) or participate in audio and video chat (e.g., Skype). • These applications require a microphone and speakers or a headset with an attached microphone. • With audio recording software, you can save audio files to embed in documents, post on Web pages, or attach to e-mails.

What are bar code readers?

Bar code readers are flatbed scanners or handheld scanners that read bar codes, or patterns of printed bars that identify items • The reader emits a beam of light (such as a laser beam) that is reflected by the image and read by a detector. • The detector converts the bar patterns into numeric data the computer can understand. • QR (quick response) Codes are a new format for storing data visually. • The code appears as a square filled with dots and lines. • Optical scanners, including smart phones with a camera and the right software, read and interpret these codes. • Uses include tracking items in a business or directing a cell phone to open a specific Web address in a browser.

Describe categories of printers-

Basic categories: - Impact printers - create an image by striking an inked ribbon against paper - Nonimpact printers - use other means to create an image

What are biometric scanners?

Biometric scanners analyze physical patterns in humans. • Fingerprint scanners detect the print pattern of a finger pressed against the scanner and send a digital version of that image to a computer. These provide secure access to bank accounts, buildings, and other secure destinations. • Scans of human faces are used for research by behavioral scientists. • Eye-tracking scanners are used by marketers, the military, and medical researchers to obtain data about where people are looking.

What are computers used for in business?

Businesses • Many small businesses could not exist today without computer technology. • Inexpensive computers and software enable business owners to handle complex tasks such as accounting and inventory management that once required a staff of specialists. • Computers and networks allow individuals to work and stay in touch with customers from any almost location. • Larger industries use different kinds of computers in many combinations (e.g., a network of PCs at headquarters and computer-controlled robotics in a factory). Examples: • Computer-aided design and manufacturing • Computing to manage shipping routes and schedules, tracking of vehicles, scheduling of maintenance, invoicing and billing • Process-control systems to monitor production processes and flag problems for correction

What is a Cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor?

Cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors are powered by a large vacuum tube • The CRT monitor shoots beams of electrons onto a glass screen coated with phosphors, chemicals that glow when struck by the electrons. Switching the beams on and off as they scan across the surface of the monitor illuminates patterns of phosphor dots. • They are heavy and bulky because of their thick glass display, magnets for controlling the electron beam, and required distance to produce and aim the beam. • CRT monitors are relatively low cost and display bright, sharp images. • Because of their size, weight, and relatively great power consumption, they have fallen out of favor.

What is computer data?

Computer data: Data serves as the computer's raw material for performing every task. • The term data refers to raw materials used to create information (concepts, ideas, and facts people find useful). • Computers aid in converting data into information. • Digital computers convert all data—letters, numbers, sounds, pictures, and software directions—into strings of digits (hence the terms digitize and digital). They process the instructions in a strict sequence and convert the digital result into information displayed in a way meaningful to a user. • Computer data are organized into files, sets of data grouped together and given a name. • A file of data that a user can open and use is often called a document. • Computer programs are also organized into files; these contain the instructions and data needed to run the program.

What are desktop computers?

Desktop computers are PCs designed to sit on or under a desk or table. • Most common type of personal computer • Powerful and versatile (e.g., accounting, communication, music production, and editing of text, music, videos, images) • Main component is the system unit, the case that houses the processing and storage devices • Not easily portable

Describe projectors-

Digital light processing (DLP) projectors have millions of microscopic mirrors that shift to reflect the source of light • Methods of accepting output: - Hooked up to the computer as a monitor - Via a local network of computers - From a USB flash drive

What are computers used for in schools?

Education/schools • Schools are adding computer technology to their curricula. • Classes and degrees in computer science or computer skills (e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, computer-aided design) • Computer applications in non-computer classes (e.g., research using the Internet, presentations created with PowerPoint) • Computer technology, especially the Internet, provides access to education for people who can't readily travel to a college or university because they live in remote areas or have limited time.

What is ergonomics?

Ergonomics is the study of the physical relationship between people and their tools, including computers. (PPT 1.16) • Computer users often spend hours at a time in front of their computers. Lack of moving around and looking around can lead to aching muscles and strained eyes. Repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) occur when repetitive, improper use of a muscle group leads to strain injuries. • Such injuries have been observed in individuals who spend most of their time entering data with computer keyboards. • One type of RSI that is especially well documented among computer users is carpal tunnel syndrome, a wrist or hand injury caused by using a keyboard for long stretches. Avoiding keyboard-related injuries: RSIs can be avoided by practicing good work habits and setting up hardware and the workspace in a way that is ergonomically friendly. (PPT 1.17) • Chair—Choose a comfortable, ergonomically designed chair with adjustable armrests and good lower-back support. Set it to the proper height for you to maintain good posture. • Desk—The desk should hold your keyboard and mouse at the proper height, so that your hands are at the same height as your elbows or a few inches lower when you hold them over the keyboard. • Keyboard—Consider buying an ergonomic keyboard, which is curved to allow you to hold your hands in a more natural position. • Wrist support—If you type a lot, a wrist support allows you to rest your hands comfortably when you pause. However, do not rest your wrists while typing. • Posture (PPT 1.18) • While typing, keep your wrists straight so your hands are in a straight line with your forearms, viewed from above and from the side. • Sit up straight, with your feet flat on the floor in front of you. • Learn to type. The "hunt and peck" method encourages slouching. • Take frequent breaks. Get up and move around for a few minutes each hour. Stretch occasionally throughout the day

What is eye strain and how do you reduce it?

Eyestrain is fatigue of the eyes caused by focusing on the same point for too long - One of the most frequently reported health problems associated with computer use Measures to reduce eyestrain: - Choose a monitor that does not flicker - Position your monitor 2 to 2-1/2 feet away from your eyes - Avoid looking at the monitor for more than 30 minutes

What are flat panel displays?

Flat -panel displays are much lighter - weight, thinner alternatives to a CRT. They are common with desktops and an essential part of notebook computers. • Most flat-panel monitors have a liquid crystal display (LCD). An LCD monitor contains a light source and a screen of special crystals in the monitor between the user and the light source. By default, the crystals do not allow light to shine through them. But when electricity is applied to them, the crystals shift, allowing light to pass through. Switching on specific pixels of crystals creates patterns on the monitor. • A passive matrix LCD relies on transistors for each row and each column of pixels. The color displayed by a pixel depends on the electricity coming from the transistors at the end of the row and top of the column. • An active matrix LCD assigns at last one transistor to each pixel, and each pixel is turned on or off individually. Active matrix displays use thinfilm transistor (TFT) technology, which employs as many as four transistors per pixel. • A disadvantage of LCD monitors is that their images can be difficult to see in bright light. They also have a limited viewing angle, but technological improvements have been extending the viewing angles of LCD monitors. • Because LCD monitors employ a constant source of light behind the crystals (usually a fluorescent light bulb), brightness may vary across the monitor's surface—brightest near the bulb and darker away from it. • LED monitors are an alternative aimed at correcting variable brightness. They use the liquid crystal design found in LCD monitors, but the light source is a grid of tiny electronic lights called light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Spreading the LED grid across the entire back surface of the monitor makes brightness more consistent.

What is green computing?

Green computing: the efforts made toward reducing the environmental impact in the manufacture, use and disposal of computers • Making computers involves the use or production of hazardous materials. Green computing begins with handling these responsibly. • As computer components wear out, one way to minimize waste is to replace only those components, rather than entire computers. • Keeping computers cool requires a lot of power. Ways to minimize energy use are to create power-efficient hardware, use improved cooling techniques, and help cooling fans work efficiently by clearing dust from computers. • Computers can help people be "green" by providing information for making operations more efficient and by enabling people to work from home, rather than generating pollution by commuting.

What are handheld personal computers?

Handheld personal computers are computing devices small enough to fit in your hand. Their small size and limited processing power put them in a separate category from notebook and tablet computers. • The handheld PCs of the 1990s and early 2000s were commonly known as personal digital assistants (PDAs). Early PDAs could run a limited set of software programs, typically for note-taking, small spreadsheets, and appointment management. Input was entered with a stylus on a touch screen. • Today's handheld PCs often have user interfaces that feature colorful displays, shortcuts, and touch screens able to accept finger touches and swipes for input. • Smart phones are cellular phones that include PDA features and programs. • These convenient multifunction devices are highly popular both for business users and consumers. • Rapid advances in smart phones include the availability of vast libraries of programs that may be downloaded to support business and entertainment interests.

What is haptic feedback?

Haptic feedback - the communication of vibration, motion, or physical resistance - Game controllers often include mechanical motion generators - Haptic feedback increases the user's sense of immersion in the game - Force feedback is the application of motion to a controller together with a visual event

Describe the parts of a computer.

Hardware consists of the physical (electronic and mechanical) devices that make up the computer, including input/output devices, the system case, cables, and networking devices. Software is a set of instructions that makes the computer perform tasks. •A program is any piece of software. •Programs may help the computer perform certain tasks or enable the user to perform certain tasks. Data consist of individual facts or pieces of information. •Choosing the right data is an essential part of making a computer system effective. •For programs to be useful, they require meaningful data. •Data are the raw materials for creating information—the concepts, facts, and ideas that people find useful. Users are the operators of a computer. •No computer is completely autonomous. Users are needed to provide data and put the results to use. •A direct user can also be other computers or computer components acting on behalf of people (e.g., a network server).

How are computers used by healthcare providers?

Health care providers • Computers can make the delivery of health care more efficient and accurate. • Computers are used for procedures such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and laser surgery. Robotic surgical devices can make it possible to perform delicate operations and even conduct surgery remotely. • Computers are used for managing medical records, including billing, patient histories, and prescriptions.

What are computers used for at home?

Homes • Communication—Family members stay in touch with services such as e-mail, social networking, and microblogging (Twitter). • Work-related tasks—People can use computers to access work data and correspondence in their homes, and some people use computers to start home-based businesses. • Schoolwork—Students use computers to conduct research and create reports and presentations. • Entertainment—Computers and video game consoles offer a wide variety of popular games to play alone or with others. • Creativity—Individuals use computer tools to create and share poetry, music, paintings, photographs, essays, stories, music, and videos. • Finances—Many households keep track of spending, pay bills, and track investments online. People shop online, too.

What are image scanners?

Image scanners convert any printed image into electronic form by shining light onto the image and sensing the intensity of the light's reflection at every point. (A bar code reader is a specialized image scanner.) • Color scanners use filters to separate the components of color into the primary additive colors (red, green, blue) at each point. • Image scanners translate printed images into an electronic format that can be stored in a computer's memory. Users can use software (e.g., Photoshop) to manipulate the image. • Text documents can be scanned with optical character recognition (OCR) software to translate the image into text that can be edited (e.g., converting a fax into text that can be edited with a word processor). Scanners may be handheld or desktop models. • Handheld scanners require multiple passes to scan a single page. • Flatbed scanners offer higher-quality reproduction.

What is the difference between input & output devices?

Input devices accept data and instructions from the user or another computer. Output devices return processed data to the user or another computer.

What are common input devices?

Input devices enable users to enter information and commands. • Ports connect input and output devices to the computer. On a personal computer, look for them on the front, back, and sides of the processing unit. • Ports come in a variety of shapes for connecting to particular pieces of hardware. • Many devices (e.g., cameras, printers, some models of keyboards and mice) connect via USB ports (USB = Universal Serial Bus).

What is a keyboard?

Keyboard—The primary input device for entering text and numbers; includes about 100 keys: (PPT 1.10) • Alphanumeric keys—Letters, numbers, the space bar, and the Tab, CapsLock, Backspace, and Enter keys • Modifier keys, which modify the input of other keys—Shift, Alt (Alternate), and Ctrl (Control). Holding down a modifier key while pressing another key changes the second key's input in some way. • Numeric keypad—A set of numbers, operation signs, and cursor movement keys that resembles a calculator's keypad. • Usually located on the right side of a keyboard. On smaller notebook models, these functions may be assigned to alternate values on the alphanumeric keys. • Pressing the Num Lock key switches the meaning of the keys between digits and cursor control. • Function keys—Keys (usually a total of 12) labeled F1, F2, etc. • Usually arranged across the top of the keyboard. • Input commands with one keystroke. • The command associated with a key depends on the program. • Cursor-movement keys—Navigate the cursor around the screen. The cursor, or insertion point, is a vertical line or other symbol displayed on the screen to show your place in a document or command line. • Special-purpose keys—Exact function of each depends on the program in use. • Del (Delete)—Typically used to remove objects in the currently running program • Esc (Escape)—Often used to cancel the appearance of a dialog box or move back one level in a multilevel environment • Ins (Insert)—Switches some programs between "insert mode" (when text is inserted, the existing text is pushed forward) and "overtype mode" (when text is inserted, it replaces the text that was there before) • PrtScn (Print Screen)—Allows the user to capture whatever is sown on the screen into an image file • ScrLk (Scroll Lock)—Typically causes the cursor to remain stationary on the screen; the document's contents move around it • Pause—In some programs, stops or pauses execution of a command • Start—In the Windows operating system, opens the Windows Start menu • Shortcut key (a key with an image of a menu)—In Windows-based application programs, opens an onscreen shortcut menu • Keyboards may also offer Internet and multimedia controls that perform functions such as opening e-mail, launching a Web browser, or controlling the volume of the speakers.

What are magnetic disks?

Magnetic disks are round, flat objects that spin around their center, almost always housed inside a case of some kind. Read/write heads read data from the disk or write data onto the disk. The complete device that holds the disk is a disk drive.

What is memory?

Memory is one or more sets of chips that store data and/or program instructions, either temporarily or permanently.

What are minicomputers?

Minicomputers, often called midrange computers, offer capabilities between those of a mainframe and a personal computer. • Some are designed for a single user; the most powerful serve hundreds of users at a time. • Users can access a central minicomputer through a terminal or standard PC.

What are single user computers?

Most computers, known as personal computers or microcomputers, are meant to be used by one person at a time. They can be used independently or connected via networking. Examples: Desktop comps, workstations, notebook computers, tablet computers & handheld personal computers.

What is a mouse?

Mouse—A pointing device that, along with the keyboard, is widely used for entering data on a full-sized PC • Directs an on-screen object, the pointer, which GUI users need for selecting the specific graphical objects they wish to activate or change. • The pointer is usually an arrow. • Sliding the mouse on a flat surface activates the pointer. • It is used to select text, access menus, and interact with programs, files or data that appear on the screen. • May be mechanical (sensors read information from a rolling ball) or optical (a sensor and image processor read and interpret information about speed and direction from a beam of light) • May be wired or wireless • A wireless mouse comes with a transmitter that plugs into a USB port. • A wireless mouse reduces clutter, but signals from nearby mice can produce interference, and the user must replace batteries in the wireless mouse. • Advantages of using a mouse as an input device • The cursor can easily and quickly be positioned anywhere on the screen. • Choosing commands from a menu or dialog box can be easier than memorizing and typing commands. Trackball—A pointing device that works like an upside-down mouse. You move the pointer by rolling a ball with your index finger, and you press the two or three buttons around the ball to click, drag, and scroll. • Trackballs require less space than a mouse. • Left- and right-handed models are available. • Trackballs have largely been replaced with nonmechanical devices such as touchpads.

What are network servers?

Network servers are central computers with special software and equipment enabling them to serve as the primary computer in a network of personal computers (e.g., running a large company's email program or sending out Web pages on the Internet). • When requests from the network are too large and complex for one server, a network may link together several, dozens, or even hundreds of servers. • Large groups of servers may be called clusters or server farms. • These clusters don't need keyboards and screens, so they may not be contained in a big case like a typical PC. Instead, each server can be a thin unit, called a blade, which is housed in a rack with the other servers.

What is networking?

Networking is the process of connecting one computer to another. • A modem converts digital (computer readable) data to analog signals (e.g., telephone, television) and analog to digital. • Network interface cards (NICs) are digital-to-digital hardware components that allow communication and can uniquely identify the computing device on the network.

What are notebook computers?

Notebook computers, also called laptops, are PCs that approximate the shape of a writing notebook and easily fit inside a briefcase. • They have a clamshell design: the user raises the notebook's lid to reveal a thin monitor and a keyboard, and when it is not in use, the computer can be closed for easy storage. • Notebooks are fully functional microcomputers but more easily portable than desktops. • Some notebook systems may be plugged into a docking station, which lets a notebook hook up to devices and services such as a full-sized keyboard, large monitor, and local network. • Netbooks are a variation of notebooks that offer compact size and low price. These computers have less processing power and may not offer some devices such as DVD drives. • Because of their portability, notebooks fall in a category called mobile computers.

What is optical storage?

Optical storage uses lasers to read data from or write data to the reflective surface of an optical disc such as a CD or DVD • CD-R disks allow you to create your own disks but cannot be erased and reused. • CD-RW disks allow you to write and erase data multiple times on the same disk. • DVDs are popular for permanent, removable storage because they hold a great deal of data (more than 4 gigabytes). With a DVD drive, a computer user can read from and write to DVDs and CDs, listen to music, and watch movies. • Blu-ray discs, the most recent form of optical storage, use a blue-spectrum laser. That type of laser and advances in disc design greatly increase the disc's storage capacity, so Blu-ray drives are becoming the new standard for home entertainment and permanent data storage. The drives often can read CDs and DVDs as well as Blu-ray discs.

What are video input devices?

PC video cameras capture full-motion video images, which can be transmitted to a few recipients in a videoconference or broadcast on the World Wide Web (e.g., on YouTube). • Webcams are popular and inexpensive PC video cameras that can sit on top of a PC's monitor or placed on a stand. • Often users record themselves with a webcam, which allows participants in a video conference to view realtime images of one another during the session. • Notebook computers often contain built-in video cameras, typically inside the case just above the top of the screen. • A video capture card lets the user connect other video devices, such as DVD players and camcorders, to the PC. • Images may be transferred between the video device and the PC. • Video files transferred to the PC may be edited.

What are some hand devices?

Pens (also called styluses) • Used for tablet PCs, PDAs, and other handheld computers. • The user writes information on the screen or points to objects on the screen. • Handwriting recognition is complex, and writing tends to be slower than typing, so this method is not idea for entering large amounts of text. • Artists who create images on a computer often use graphics tablets that combine extra-sensitive touch screens and pens. • Pen-based computers are commonly used for data collection, such as checking a box, and creating a record of a signature. • Sometimes the input pen is also the computer. The Livescribe Echo Pen writes with real ink on special dotted paper. As the user writes, a computer in the pen stores both the writing motions and nearby sounds, saving a spoken lecture along with the written notes. • The notes and audio can be reviewed together. • They also can be transferred from the pen to a PC, searched for keywords, and shared with others. Game controllers are specialized input devices designed to take advantages of the features of a particular set of games. • Game pads are small, flat devices designed to be held with both hands. Newer game pads provide an array of buttons, triggers and thumb-driven joysticks that let the user send complex commands to the game system. • Game systems such as the Nintendo Wii support wireless controllers that transmit input based on their location as well as through buttons on the controller. As the controller moves through the air, the motion is translated into actions in the game.

How do you use a mouse?

Pointing is using the pointer to a location on the screen by pushing the mouse around on the desk • Moving the mouse left (right) moves the pointer left (right). • Moving the mouse away from you moves the pointer up. • Pulling the mouse closer to you moves the pointer down. • When you have moved the pointer to an object or location on the screen, you can click, drag, or scroll. To click, press and release the primary (usually left) button on the mouse. This typically selects an object on the screen. • Double-clicking means pressing the primary mouse button twice in rapid succession. This typically requests an action, such as opening a program or file. • Right-clicking means pressing and releasing the non-primary (usually right) button. This usually opens a shortcut menu of commands and options related to the object you have pointed to. Dragging means pressing and holding the mouse button and continuing to hold it as you move the mouse. As the pointer on the screen moves, so does the object you have pointed to. • When you have dragged an item to a new position, release the mouse button to release the item in that location. • Moving items around this way is known as drag and drop • Scrolling is moving a list of information up or down on the screen. If you have a mouse with a wheel between the right and left buttons, many programs allow you to scroll by turning this wheel.

What is a processor?

Processors are the complex electronic circuits, etched onto silicon, that are responsible for transforming raw data into useful information (processing the data). •The main processor for the computer is the central processing unit (CPU), which organizes and carries out instructions from the user or software. •In a personal computer, the CPU consists of a single specialized chip called a microprocessor. •The CPU is plugged into a special socket on the motherboard. Plugging a single unit into a motherboard gives computer makers flexibility in choosing CPUs for a computer. •Modern CPUs generate a lot of heat, so they are installed with cooling units (heat-conducting metal against the CPU, coupled with cooling fans). The cooling unit and circuit board make CPUs look large, but a microchip is actually a fraction of an inch across

How are computers used for social communication?

Social communication: Computers are changing the ways people communicate. • Mobile computers and smart phones give us instant access to other people. • Software programs let people share their physical location (e.g., Foursquare) or thoughts (e.g., Twitter, Facebook). The software makes it easier to do this with far more people

What is software?

Software programs tell the computer's hardware components what to do. A computer using a program is said to be running or executing the program. To be available on a program, the software must be installed, which means that the program is written into the computer's permanent storage. • Installation usually includes adding references to the new program into the computer's operating system, so the operating system will know where to find the program and how to start it. • Other installation tasks are creating and placing data files for the program to use, establishing connections to devices such as printers, and updating software modules in other programs the new software will use. • On most consumer devices, software installation runs automatically after the user gives permission. Application software tells the computer how to accomplish specific tasks (e.g., word processing, drawing). • Thousands of applications are available. • Some popular types are document publishing software, spreadsheets, database management, presentations, graphics, multimedia authoring, business software, education software, Internet applications, and games. • The software must be adapted to its intended use, such as the operating system that will run it and the kinds of tasks the user will perform. • Changes in hardware, such as the design of new processors, typically require changes in the application software. • Application software need not reside entirely on the user's machine; computers can connect to and use software stored on the Internet and local computer networks (e.g., sharing reports and spreadsheets online with Google Docs).

Why are computers important?

Some technological developments, such as railroads, the automobile, the telephone, and electricity, have changed how we work and live. Computers are bringing a similar degree of change. • Most or all of these changes share one element in common: information. • Computers provide ready access to information. • Computers make it easy to create some kinds of new information, such as the solution to an equation or a statistical analysis of data or even many types of creative products such as a musical composition or a new recipe.

What are some sound systems?

Sound system devices include: - Microphones - Speakers - Headphones and headsets - Sound cards - circuit boards that convert sound from analog to digital form, and vice versa - Sound editing programs

What are specialized monitors?

Specialized monitors • Paper-white displays produce a very high contrast between the monitor's white background and displayed text and graphics. These displays are used by document designers such as desktop publishing specialists and magazine compositors. • Electroluminescent displays (ELDs) are similar to LCD monitors but use a phosphorescent film held between two sheets of glass. A grid of wires sends current through the film to create an image. • Plasma displays are created by sandwiching a gas such as neon or xenon between two sheets of glass. When the gas is electrified via a grid of small electrodes, it glows. Controlling the amount of voltage applied at various points causes each point to act as a pixel.

What does speech/voice recognition software do?

Speech recognition or voice recognition software translates spoken words into text and sends controls such as Open or Cancel to the computer. • For users with disabilities, computers combine speech recognition hardware and software, such as Dragon's NaturallySpeaking, to control their computer's activity. • The computer also may link to hardware that controls lights, heating and other environmental systems, so disabled users can operate those systems simply by speaking.

What are supercomputers?

Supercomputers are the most powerful computers and physically some of the largest. • The fastest can perform nearly two quadrillion (1015) calculations per second. • Some link together hundreds of thousands of processors. • Supercomputers are ideal for handling large and highly complex problems (e.g., forecasting the weather, mapping the human genome).

What is system software?

System software is any program that controls the computer's hardware or can be used to maintain the computer. • Firmware is used to directly control hardware devices (e.g., keyboards, hard drives, cell phones, television). It is embedded on microchips and installed in the device it controls. • Operating systems (e.g., Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux) tell the computer how to use its own components. • A network operating system allows computers to communicate and share files and device resources across a network, controls network operations, and oversees the network's security. • Utilities are programs that make the computer system easier to use or perform a highly specialized function such as troubleshooting hardware problems

What are tablet computers?

Tablet computers are portable, full-featured computers that offer the functionality of a notebook computer and can accept input from a special pen, called a stylus or digital pen, or the user's fingers. • Some tablet computers can display an image of a keyboard on the screen, for the user to type on. • Some have built-in microphones and accept voice input. • A few have fold-out keyboards. • Because of their portability and friendly interface, their popularity has recently exploded (e.g., iPads, Android tablets).

What are the computers used for by the govmt?

The U.S. Census Bureau has been using computer technology since the early 20th century, when it used mechanical computers to tally the population. • The Internal Revenue Service uses computers to process tax returns and encourages taxpayers to file online. • The military has commissioned some of the world's most sophisticated computer technology for purposes as diverse as payroll management, calculation of the trajectory of missiles, and games and simulations used for training. • Many police forces equip cruisers with laptop computers and wireless Internet connections so officers can readily look up information about criminals, crime scenes, and procedures.

What is the information processing cycle?

The information processing cycle is a series of steps the computer follows to receive data: • Input: The computer accepts data from some source. • Processing: The computer's processing components perform actions on or with the data, based on instructions from the user or a program. • Output: The computer provides the results of its processing (e.g., text, numbers, a graph, sounds, or data held for storage). • Storage: The computer stores the results of its processing. Storage to memory is usually temporary. For permanent storage, the computer saves data to a hard drive or other storage medium. Storage is an optional step.

What are multi-user computers?

The largest organizational computers support thousands of individual users at the same time, with some working from thousands of miles away. They may be devoted to a single purpose or a wide variety of tasks. Examples: network servers, mainframe computers, minicomputers & supercomputers.

How do you compare printers?

The selection of a printer should be based on the kinds of output needed, as well as the following considerations: - Cost - Image quality: The more dots per inch (dpi) a printer can produce, the higher its image quality - Speed: Printer speed is measured in pages per minute (ppm)

How do you use a touch screen?

Touch screens • Accept input from a user's fingertips directly on the computer screen. • Computers and terminals with a single purpose, such as menus in restaurants or ticketing booths for airlines, use touch screens offering a menu of choices. • Smart phones and tablet PCs have more sophisticated touch screens that allow users to drag and drop items, double-tap to open programs, and make windows larger or smaller. • Touch screens are most useful when a simple, intuitive interface is important and where dirt or weather would interfere with keyboards and pointing devices.

How do you use a touchpad and pointing sticks?

Touchpad (or trackpad)—A stationary pointing device operated by moving a finger across a small touch-sensitive surface; the movement of the pointer on the screen follows the path of the finger • Many people find a touchpad less tiring to use than a mouse or trackball. • The small size (typically 1.5 to 2 inches square) makes it ideal for notebook computers. • Most touchpads include two or three buttons that perform the same functions as mouse buttons. • Besides using the primary button, you can tap the pad with a fingertip to "click" or "double-click." Pointers in the keyboard • A small pointing stick may be positioned near the middle of a portable computer's keyboard. • The user controls it with his or her index finger to move the pointer on the screen, which can save time and effort compared with other pointing devices. • Two buttons beneath the spacebar perform the same functions as the buttons on a mouse. • Generic terms for this device include integrated pointing device and 3-D point stick. A popular brand is TrackPoint.

What are workstations?

Workstations are specialized, single-user computers with more power and features than a standard desktop PC. • Popular among scientists, engineers, animators who need their greater speed and power • Often have large, high-resolution monitors and accelerated graphics-handling capabilities

Describe computer-aided manufacturing:

• Computer output is used to drive industrial machinery and robot production in many different manufacturing industries • Computer instructions coordinate and control several different motors in a robotic arm • Applications include: - Welding cars - Drilling holes precisely - Fabricating tiny computer chips

Describe special purpose printers-

• Dye-sublimation (dye-sub) printers produce realistic quality and color for photo images • Photo printers use inkjet or dye-sub technology to create high-quality images • Thermal-wax printers operate with a ribbon coated with panels of colored wax that melts and adheres to the paper • Plotters are used to print large-format images • Line printers uses a wide print head • Band printers uses a rotating band embossed with alphanumeric characters

Why does microphone quality vary greatly?

• Higher-quality microphones often incorporate a digital converter, reducing the chances for sound data to be adversely affected as it travels to the computer. • Lower-grade microphones may simply transmit analog electrical information to the computer's sound subsystem for conversion into digital data, risking a loss in sound quality before the analog signal is converted. • Chatting with friends can be done with practically any microphone, while speech recognition or broadcasting may require a better model.

How do you input music?

• If you want to import audio files from CDs, MP3 players, or even tape players, audio input devices exist for these • A built-in musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) port or a dedicated MIDI adapter will let you connect many kinds of electronic instruments to your computer. • MIDI-based instruments can communicate with and control one another. • Any PC can be used to control MIDI instruments and record their output. • Musicians use MIDI to write, record, and edit music and to control instruments during performances.

What are mainframe computers?

• Mainframe computers are large, powerful systems used in organizations where users frequently need to use the same data. • Users access the mainframe through a terminal or a standard personal computer. • A dumb terminal is stringly an input/output device. • An intelligent terminal can perform some processing operations but usually does not have storage. • The largest mainframes can handle the processing needs of thousands of users at a time. • Most mainframes are limited to certain kinds of tasks, such as storing large amounts of data.

What are smart boards?

• SMART boards - digital versions of the whiteboards - The board attached to the wall is a touch-sensitive input device - Short-throw projector: designed to be used very close to the display area. Special pens and an eraser are used for input

What is storage?

• Storage devices hold data permanently, even when the computer is turned off. There are three main types: • Memory size is measured in terms of bytes, the amount of memory it takes to store a single character, such as a letter or numeral. • Modern computer memory is large, so the units are given as kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, and terabytes.

What is a circuit board?

•A computer's electronic parts and subsystems are generally installed on a circuit board, a piece of plastic or other material on which parts are mounted, organized, and connected. •Circuit boards used to provide a specific ability are commonly called cards (e.g., sound or video cards). •The largest circuit board in a computer is the motherboard (or mainboard), which contains components for connecting everything else together. •Connectors and ports for hooking up all the other parts, from the CPU to the webcam •Its own set of electronic components for regulating power to subsystems and managing the flow of data •Sometimes electronic subsystems for video and sound output and network communications •For the computer to be fully functional, the motherboard is connected to the following kinds of hardware devices.

What is a video card?

•A video card, also called a video controller or video adapter, is an intermediary device between the CPU and monitor that contains the video -dedicated memory and other circuitry necessary to send information to the monitor for display. • The quality of images displayed by a monitor depends as much on the video card as on the monitor itself. • In many newer computers, the video circuitry is built directly into the motherboard, eliminating the need for a separate card. • Users who want high -end video capability may add a higher -powered graphics card, which plugs into the motherboard. • Given the high -resolution, high - quality color images, animations, and video demanded by today's users, a video controller provides its own dedicated microprocessors and memory to free the CPU and system RAM from having to manage the millions of calculation and storage required to produce video output. • Video cards now commonly support at least two displays, allowing the computer to combine the display area and treat two physical monitors as if they were a single device. • Digital output is standard. • Many video cards also include a digital -to -analog converter to drive older, analog displays. • Many cards support the high -definition HDMI output standard. • For very intense graphics (e.g., video games with a complex, fast -moving picture), some video cards can be linked together so multiple cards share the processing load.

What is an operating system?

•An operating system is a kind of software known as system software— software that controls the system's hardware and interacts with the user and application software. It is the computer's master control program and performs the following functions: (PPT 1.20) • Displays the on-screen elements with which you interact—the user interface • Loads programs into the computer's memory so that you can use them • Coordinates how programs work with the computer's hardware and other software • Manages the way information is stored on and retrieved from disks

What is command line interface?

•Command-line interface: The user enters typewritten commands rather than interacting with graphical objects to execute tasks. • Examples of this type of OS include some older operating systems (e.g., MS-DOS), some current versions of UNIX and Linux, and many mainframe operating systems. • A command-line interface displays in character mode, using only alphanumeric and other simple symbols. • Users enter commands at a prompt on the screen—e.g., in DOS, the identity of the disk drive (a letter followed by a colon), a backslash, and a greater-than symbol, as in C:\>. • A command-line interface is not as intuitive as a GUI, but entering commands can be quick. • Windows offers an optional command-line interface, called Command Prompt. • This is most often used by administrators to run non-GUI programs for managing and troubleshooting Windows. • Any program that can be run in Windows can be launched from the Command Prompt.

How do you compare monitors?

•Comparing monitors: The best choice of monitor for a user is the one that looks best to that person's eyes. Some factors are worth considering: • Size: For ease of viewing, buy the largest monitor that fits your budget and workspace. • Text display: In a sample document, letters should be crisp and clear, without distortion. • Image display: In a photograph or Web site, the colors should meet your expectations. • Resolution refers to the number of pixels displayed on the screen. A particular computer will support a range of resolutions; the monitor purchased for the computer should be compatible with the resolution you want to use. • Response rate is the amount of time in milliseconds that it takes for a pixel to change from black to white. A fast rate is more important for playing graphically intense games or watching movies than for surfing the Web or chatting with friends. • Contrast ratio measures how close the monitor can get to perfect black and white. The bigger the ratio, the better.

What are digital cameras?

•Digital cameras are portable, handheld devices that electronically capture still images. • The electronic files of the images may be copied to a PC, where the images may be edited, copied, printed, embedded in documents, or transmitted to others. • Most digital cameras can store dozens to hundreds of highresolution images. • Web designers and graphic designers can copy and edit digital photographs in numerous ways to create artwork, marketing materials, and other kinds of presentations. For example, with landscape design software, a landscape designer can take an image of a house and show what it would look like with various kinds of shrubbery and trees.

Describe types of printers-

•Dot matrix printers are impact printers where physical impact with the paper is important - The printer creates an image by using mechanism called a print head • Inkjet printers create an image by spraying ink • Laser printers rely on a laser to print • All-in-one printers combine a printer with scanning, photocopying, and faxing capabilities

What is the graphical user interface (GUI)?

•Graphical user interface (GUI): Users launch programs and make choices with graphical objects such as windows, menus, icons, buttons, and other tools. • In Windows and other GUIs, the metaphor for the graphics is a desktop; the background of the GUI is a desktop on which graphical tools are presented and within which work is stored. • Small pictures on the desktop, called shortcuts, represent links to resources on the PC or network. (They are often mistakenly called icons, which are simply pictures used to represent an object.) • Using your mouse or other pointing device, you can move the pointer and choose (activate) a shortcut, telling the OS you want to use the resource represented by the shortcut. • Elements on the Windows desktop • Taskbar—at bottom of desktop; used to launch and manage programs • Start button—opens Start menu • Start menu—contains shortcuts for launching programs and opening folders (When you start a program, a button representing it appears on the taskbar; click on these to switch quickly between programs.)

What is RAM?

•Random access memory (RAM) is a set of small chips on a circuit board that allows the computer to store and retrieve data and instructions very quickly. •When a program is launched, it is loaded into and runs from RAM (often called memory for short). •As the program needs data, it is loaded into RAM for fast access. •RAM is volatile, mean it loses its contents when the computer shuts off or there is a power failure. •The more RAM a computer has, the more it can do and the faster it can perform certain tasks. If it doesn't have enough RAM, it will store some data on its hard drive, which slows the computer down. •Memory size is measured in terms of bytes, the amount of memory it takes to store a single character, such as a letter or numeral. •Modern computer memory is large, so the units are given as kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, and terabytes. •Adding RAM to a computer to improve its performance is one of the most common kinds of system upgrades. •Models of RAM differ in their speeds, methods for data storage and retrieval, and physical layouts. Each PC motherboard requires a specific type and speed range of RAM. A RAM card's specifications must meet the requirements provided by the motherboard manufacturer and match any existing RAM modules

What is ROM?

•Read-only memory (ROM) permanently stores data, even when the computer is shut off. •ROM is used to store computer instructions and hardware information that rarely changes. •ROM can be changed, but the process is much slower than for altering RAM. •ROM is called nonvolatile because the contents are never lost.

What is the user's role?

•The user's role: The following roles are common for the user of a personal computer. • Setting up the system: Unpacking and connecting hardware and customizing how it works • Installing software: Some software is preinstalled on a computer; other hardware is selected and installed by the user (e.g., by inserting a disk or downloading it from a Web site). • Running programs: Some programs start up with the computer is turned on and may even run without the user's knowledge. For most application software, the user needs to launch and run the program. (Chapter 1 described how to do this with a mouse.) • Managing files: Setting up a logical system for storing files on the computer, knowing when to delete files, moving them, and copying them to a storage device for safekeeping • Maintaining the system :Running utilities to keep disks free of clutter and ensuring that the computer is working efficiently May occasionally involve fixing parts inside the computer (often the responsibility of a qualified technician)

How do you compare monitors (pt 2)?

•Viewing angle measures how far to the side a user can be before the picture fades or blurs. LCD monitors produce the best picture when viewed from straight ahead. • Refresh rate identifies the number of times per second that the monitor draws its visible image. Most monitors can support at least 60 Hz (refreshing the display 60 times each second), which is a common rate produced by video cards. • Dot pitch is the distance between the like -colored phosphor dots of adjacent pixels, measured as a fraction of a millimeter. The smaller the dot pitch, the finer and more detailed the images.

What is GUI (part 2)?

•When you right-click an object in Windows, a small menu usually appears. • This menu may be called a shortcut menu or a context menu. • It provides quick access to the most common commands associated with the object. When you launch a program, it is loaded into memory and begins to run. • It may take up the whole screen; or • It may appear in a rectangular frame called a window; or • It may appear only as a shortcut on the taskbar. • Windows: In a GUI such as Windows, you access all the computer's resources through windows. • Viewing the contents of a disk • Running a program • Editing a document • Viewing a Web page • Changing system settings • A different window appears for each resource you use. Common GUI features of a window: • Title bar—Identifies the window's contents and contains Minimize, Restore, and Close buttons • Menu bar—Provides lists of commands and options for the program • Toolbars—Contain buttons that let you issue commands quickly • Scroll bars—Let you scroll to view parts of the program or file that do not fit in the window • Although the graphic OS lets you run multiple programs and resources at the same time, you can work in only one window at a time. • The window currently in use is the active window; its title bar appears in a deeper color, and its taskbar button appears highlighted. The window appears on top of any overlapping windows. • To access the contents of a window, select it by clicking on the open window or the taskbar button. • Besides clicking icons and toolbar buttons to initiate tasks, you can perform tasks by choosing commands from lists called menus. • In most program windows, you open menus from a horizontal list called the menu bar. • To execute or run a menu command, you click it. • For some commands, you can use keyboard shortcuts instead of the mouse. • The traditional menu style is a list of vertical choices, but some newer programs favor a ribbon style. • Choices and options in a ribbon menu are displayed horizontally across the top of the work area. • Traditional menus are displayed only when the user wants to make a selection from them; ribbons are typically always visible. • Dialog boxes are special-purpose windows that appear when the OS or application needs to give you status information and possibly a choice of actions or when you need to tell a program (or the OS) what to do next. (PPT 1.26)