GSU CSC 1010

• DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

o A database is a collection of related data o A database management system (DBMS) or database manager is a program that sets up, or structures, a database and provides tools to enter, edit, and retrieve data from the database. o Most widely used database management systems designed for personal computers are Microsoft Access and OpenOffice Base. o Features Primary Key-assigned to a unique field and used to link tables Fields-hold different content, like Last Name, First Name Record-often includes a combination of numeric, text and object data types Table-make up the basic structure of a relational database with columns containing field data Form-makes it easy to enter view data

• COMMUNICATION

The most popular Internet activity o Family, friends, businesses all use electronic communication E-mail • The transmission of an electronic message over the Internet • Can contain graphics, photos, and file attachments • To send and receive e-mail you need a computer with an Internet connection and an e-mail account. • Two basic types of e-mail accounts: o Client-based e-mail systems require a special program known as an e-mail client to be installed on your computer. Most widely used e-mail clients are Microsoft's Outlook and Apple's Mail. o Web-based e-mail systems do not require an e-mail program to be installed on your computer. Most ISPs offer Webmail services Free Webmail service providers are Google's Gmail, Microsoft's Hotmail, and Yahoo!s Yahoo! Mail. • An email contains basic elements: o Header - appears first and includes the following Address - the address of the person receiving the message • Has two parts: the user's name and the domain name. Subject - one line description to present the topic of the message. Attachments - files that can be sent along with the e-mail but are separate from the message o Message - letter or note o Signature - identifies the sender • Spam o Unsolicited and unwanted e-mails o Can contain computer viruses and be dangerous o Spam blockers and spam filters identify and eliminate spam Text messaging, also known as texting, SMS (short messaging service) • short electronic message typically less than 160 characters using a wireless network to another person who views the message on a mobile device such as a smartphone. Instant Messaging (IM) • Allows two or more people to contact each other via direct live communication • To use, register with an instant messaging service provider • Specify a list of friends • IM notifies you when your friends are online • Includes video conferencing, file sharing, and remote assistance o Social Networking Connecting individuals to one another - One of the fastest-growing and most significant Web 2.0 applications Focus is on connecting people and organizations that share a common interest or activity. Typically provide a wide array of tools that facilitate meeting, communicating, and sharing. Three of the best known are: • Facebook o Three basic categories of Facebook users: Individuals • Create Facebook Profiles which may include photos, lists of personal interests, contact information, and other personal information. • Profiles available to friends, family members, and others who share a common interest. Businesses • Create Facebook Pages to promote products and services • Public figures such as politicians and entertainers Communities • Create Facebook groups who share a common interest • Facebook groups are organized around topics, events, or ideas • Google+, Google Plus • LinkedIn o Premier business oriented social networking site. o Largest social networking site focusing on business professionals. o Blogs, Microblogs, Webcasts, Podcasts, and Wikis These sites help ordinary people communicate across the web • Many individuals create personal websites, called web logs or blogs, to keep in touch with friends and family o Used by individuals, groups and businesses to share information • Microblogs - publishes short sentences that only take a few seconds to write. Twitter is an example of a microblog. • Webcasts and podcasts - deliver media content such as music and movies over the Internet to your computer. o Webcasts use streaming technology - after a Webcast has been completed there are no files remaining on your computer. o Podcasts do not use streaming technology - before a podcast can be run it must be downloaded and save on your computer. • Wikis - a Web site specially designed to allow visitors to fill in missing information or correct inaccuracies o Wikis support collaborative writing for a community of interested people o Wikipedia is an example of a wiki o Blogs and wikis are examples of web authoring

• ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

o Also known as e-commerce o Buying and selling over the Internet o Advantages to the buyer They can buy things 24/7 There is no travel time They can shop from anywhere o Advantages to the seller Lower costs Reduced inventory Ship goods directly from warehouse o Disadvantages Inability to provide goods immediately Can't "try on" purchases Security issues o Business-to-consumer commerce (B2C) Sale of products and services to the general public or end users Fastest growing type of e-commerce Three most widely used B2C applications • Online Banking • Financial trading • Shopping o Consumer-to-Consumer E-commerce (C2C) Individuals selling to individuals Consists of Web auctions - individuals seldom meet face to face • Popular site is eBay.com o Business-to-business (B2B) Sale of a product or service from one business to another. Typically a manufacturer -supplier relationship. o Security - The two greatest challenges for e-commerce The development of fast, secure, and reliable payment methods for purchased goods. Providing convenient ways to provide required information such as mailing addresses and credit card information. Two basic payment options: • Credit card o Faster and more convenient than checks o Fraud is a major concern when using credit cards for both sellers and buyers • Digital cash o The Internet equivalent of traditional cash o Buyers purchase digital cash by transferring funds from their accounts to a bank that specializes in electronic currency o Buyers purchase items using digital cash and sellers convert digital cash to traditional cash through a third party bank o Digital cash isn't as convenient as credit cards, but it's more secure.

• PROCEDURES

o Computer users are required to follow rules or guidelines in order to effectively use software, hardware, and data. o Procedures are typically documented in manuals that are written by computer specialists. o Software and hardware manufacturers provide manuals with their products and are provided either printed or in electronic form.

• CONNECTIVITY

o Connectivity is the capability of a personal computers to share information with other computers o Two most dramatic changes in connectivity in the past five years have been the widespread use of mobile or wireless communication devices and cloud computing o The wireless revolution, the ability to connect computers to each other without cables, is expected to dramatically affect the way we communicate and use computer technology. o A network is the central concept of connectivity - when two or more computers are connected. o The Internet is the largest computer network in the world. o The Web provides a multimedia interface to the resources available on the Internet. o Cloud computing uses the Internet and the Web to shift activities from the user's computer to computers on the Internet.

• WORD PROCESSORS

o Create text-based documents o Most flexible and widely used software tools o Used to create memos, letters, manuals, and brochures o Most widely used word processing program is Microsoft Word; o Other popular programs are Corel WordPerfect and Apple Pages, Open Office Writer, and Google Docs o Features Captions-Identify figures AutoCorrect-recognizes typing error and automatically fixes Header or Footer-Page numbers and other document related information Footnote-inserts the footnote superscript number and automatically formats the bottom of the page to contain footnote text

• APPLICATION SOFTWARE

o Divided into three categories: General purpose applications • widely used in nearly every discipline and occupation • includes word processors, spreadsheets, database management systems, and presentation graphics Specialized applications • more narrowly focused and used in specific disciplines and occupations Mobile apps • add-on features or programs designed for smartphones and tablets o User Interface Portion of the application that allows you to control and to interact with the program called Graphical User Interface (GUI) Uses Icons and a mouse for easy navigation and input in an application Uses windows to display programs, documents, and/or messages • Menus present commands typically displayed in a menu bar at the top of the screen • Toolbars appear below the menu bar contain small buttons that provide shortcuts for quick access to commonly used commands • Dialog boxes provide additional information and requests user input • Ribbons replace menus and toolbars by organizing commonly used commands into sets of tabs • Tabs divide the ribbon into major activity areas • Galleries graphically display alternatives before selections are made o Common Features Most applications provide a variety of features to make entering, editing, and formatting document easy • Spell checkers-looks for misspelled words • Alignment-either centers, right-aligns, or left-aligns number and characters • Font and font sizes-specifies the size and style of entered number and text o Some applications support speech recognition - the ability to accept voice input to select menu options and dictate text.

• HARDWARE

o Four types of computers Supercomputers • Most powerful type of computer • Special high-capacity computers • Fastest processing • Used by large organizations, usually research facilities Mainframe • Capable of great processing speeds and large amounts of data storage • Do not have as high of a capacity or as fast processing as supercomputers • Used by large corporations Midrange • Also referred to as servers • Less powerful than a mainframe computer but more powerful than a personal computer • Support end users for specific needs such as retrieving data from a database or supplying access to application software. Personal also known as Pcs • Least powerful • Most widely used • Fastest growing segment • Four types of personal computers include: o Desktops o Laptops o Tablets o Mobile devices also known as handhelds Smartphones most widely used handheld computer o Personal computer hardware System unit - micro-processor and memory (RAM) Input devices-keyboard and mouse Output devices-most common is computer display, or monitor Secondary storage - hard disks, solid-state storage, and optical disks • Hard disks-store programs and very large data files • Solid-state-no moving parts, reliable, requires less power Communication devices - modems

• PRESENTATION GRAPHICS

o Programs that combine a variety of visual objects to create attractive, visually interesting presentations. o Excellent tools to communicate a message and to persuade people. o People in a variety of settings and situations use presentation graphics programs to make their presentations more interesting and professional. o Three of the most widely used presentation graphics programs are Microsoft PowerPoint, OpenOffice Impress, and Apple Keynote. o Features Document Theme-makes presentations professional and eye-catching Templates-provide an excellent way to quickly create a presentation Animation-provide additional emphasis to items

• THE INTERNET AND THE WEB

o Internet ARPANET - Advanced Research Project Agency Network • Launched in 1969 Network infrastructure - connects computers around the world o World Wide Web Introduced in 1991 at the Center for Educational Nuclear Research (CERN) Before 1991 the Internet was all text based Web made it possible to include multimedia resources o First generation of the Web, Web 1.0 - focused on linking existing information o Second generation of the Web, Web 2.0 - evolved to support more dynamic content creation and social interaction. Facebook is a Web 2.0 application o Third generation of the Web, Web 3.0 - focuses on computer generated information requiring less human interaction to locate and to integrate information such as traffic reports and delays. o Internet and the Web Can get Internet and Web confused, they are not the same thing - Internet is the physical network. Made up of wires, cables, satellites, and rules for exchanging information between computers connected to the network. Called being online. Web - is a multimedia interface to the resources available on the Internet o Uses of the Internet and the Web Communicating Shopping Searching Education (e-learning) Entertainment

• MOBILE APPS

o Mobile apps or mobile applications or apps - are add-on features for a variety of mobile devices including smartphones and tablets. o Traditional apps included: To-do lists, address books, alarms, message lists o Apps Over 500,000 apps for the Apple iPhone alone Widely used mobile apps include are for listening to music, viewing video, social networking, and scanning QR codes The YouTube app offers access to free online videos The Netflix app provides access to streaming videos The Facebook app provides many of the same features of the Facebook website The Instagram app provides a more specialized an artistic flair by sharing photos QR codes, also known as quick response codes, are graphics that link mobile devices to a variety of videos and websites You will also see QR codes in magazines, newspapers, and even in books The ShopSavvy app is more specialized focusing on shopping by scanning products with QR codes and providing online and local stores that sell that product Many apps are written for a particular type of mobile device and will not work on other types. o App Stores Websites that provide access to specific mobile apps that can be downloaded for a nominal fee or free or charge • Three of the best-known stores are Apple's App Store, Google Play, and Windows Phone Marketplace.

• PEOPLE

o Most important part of any information system o Our lives are touched every day by computers and information systems o Different features in the book aid in becoming an efficient and effective end user Making IT Work for You • Practical IT applications Tips • Numerous tips to make your computing safer, more efficient, and more effective Privacy • Important information on protecting your personal information Environment • Important relevant environmental information Ethics • Variety of different ethical/unethical situations for your consideration Careers in IT • Specific careers in information technology providing job descriptions, projected employment demands, educational requirements, current salary ranges and advancement opportunities. Computing Essentials Web site • www.mhhe.com/ce2015 • This site is integrated with the textbook for animations, career information, tips, test review materials and much more.

• SPREADSHEETS

o Organize, analyze, and graph numeric data such as budgets and financial reports o Widely used by nearly every profession o Most widely used spreadsheet program is Microsoft Excel o Other popular programs are Apple Numbers and OpenOffice Calc o Spreadsheet programs manipulate numeric data and create workbook files • Text Entries-provide meaning to values in worksheet • Worksheets-used analyze and forecast • Functions are prewritten formulas provided by the spreadsheet program that perform more complex calculations. • Cells-can contain labels, numbers and formulas • Formulas-provide a way to perform calculations • Range is a series of continuous cells • Charts - visual representations of data in a worksheet. • Workbook-can contain multiple worksheets with a summary sheet usually first • Sheet Name-each worksheet has a unique sheet name • What-If analysis - the process of observing the effect of changing one or more cells

• SEARCH TOOLS

o Over twenty billion pages and more are being added to the Internet daily o A number of search services or search providers help users locate the needed information Maintain huge databases of the pages on the Internet and Web Search tools use special programs called spiders continually look for new information and update databases Search engines • specialized programs that help locate information on the web and the Internet • Searches for information based on keywords and phrases Specialized search engines • Focus on subject-specific websites • See examples in Figure 2-19 of specialized search engines Content evaluation • Not all information found on the web is accurate • To evaluate accuracy of information on the Web consider these: o Authority - is the author an expert? o Accuracy - was the information critically reviewed? o Objectivity - does the author have a personal bias? o Currency - is the information up to date? Are the site's links operational? If not, the site is most likely not being actively maintained.

• INFORMATION SYSTEMS

o Parts to an information system: People - end users Procedures - rules and guidelines to follow when using software and/or hardware Software - programs that consists of step-by-step instructions Hardware - the equipment that processes data to create information Data - raw unprocessed facts Internet - Almost all of today's information systems provide a way to connect to other people and computers, typically using the internet. This connectivity greatly expands the capability and usefulness of information systems.

• SOFTWARE

o Programs - the instructions that tell computers how to process data o Two major types of software: System Software • Enables application software to interact with computer hardware • A collection of programs o Operating system - coordinate the computer's resources, provide a user interface, and run applications (ex: Windows 8, Mac OS X) o Utilities - perform specific tasks related to managing computer resources. The most essential utility programs that every computer system should have is an antivirus program. o Device drivers - specialized programs that allow input or output devices to communicate with the rest of the computer system Application Software • End-user software • Three types - general purpose, specialized, and mobile apps o General purpose application software that is used in nearly all careers (ex: browser, word processor, spreadsheet, data base management system, presentation graphics) o Specialized computer programs that are narrowly focused on specific disciplines and occupations (ex: graphics and Web authoring programs.). o Mobile apps or mobile applications, or simply apps, are small programs designed for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers. The most popular mobile apps are for social networking, playing games, and downloading music and videos

• ACCESS

o Providers Most common way is through ISP - Internet Service Providers. • Already connected to the Internet and provide a path or connection for individuals to access the Internet. Commercial Internet providers • Provide access through telephone lines, cable, and/or wireless connections o Browsers Provide access to web resources • Connects to remote computers, opens and transfers files, displays text images, and multimedia in one tool • Examples: Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Firefox. Allow connections to remote computers • Location/address - URL (Uniform Resource Locator) • URL's have two basic parts; many have additional parts o Protocol Rules for exchanging data between computers http is used for web traffic and is the most widely used Internet protocol o Domain name Specific address where the resource is located Top-level domain (TLD) - last part of the domain name following the dot (.) which identifies the type of organization. Display text and images • Interpret the HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) code from the different documents • Display document as a web page o Web pages can have hyperlinks that connect to other documents containing related information • Web pages can also be highly interactive and animated using the following technologies: o Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) - files inserted into an HTML document that control the appearance of Web pages including layout, colors, and fonts, helps to ensure that related Web pages have a consistent presentation. o JavaScript - used within HTLM documents to trigger interactive features, such as opening new browser windows and checking information entered in online forms. o AJAX - advanced use of JavaScript used to create interactive Web sites that respond quickly. o Applets - programs that can be downloaded quickly and run by most browsers, used to present animation, display graphics, provide interactive games. • Mobile Browsers - special browsers designed to run on portable devices

• DATA

o Raw unprocessed facts o Stored electronically in files o Four types of files include: Document files - created by word processors Worksheet files - created by electronic spreadsheets Database files - created by database management systems Presentation files - created by presentation graphics applications

• SOFTWARE SUITES

o Software suite is a collection of separate application programs bundled together and made available as a group. o Applications function exactly the same as if purchased individually, but they are significantly less expensive to purchase when grouped in a suite. There are four types: Office suite - also known as office software suites or simply office suites contain general purpose application programs, including a word processor, spreadsheet, database manager, and a presentation application. • Most widely known is Microsoft Office; others are Apple iWork, Lotus SmartSuite and OpenOffice Cloud Computing - also known as cloud suites or online office suites • stored at a server on the Internet and available anywhere you can access the Internet • Documents created using online applications can be stored online, making it easy to share and collaborate on documents with others. • Downside is that users are dependent upon the server providing the application to be available whenever the application is needed. • Most popular include Google Docs, Zoho, and Microsoft Office Web Apps Specialized suite - focus on specific applications. These include graphics suites, financial planning suites, like Moneytree Software's TOTAL Planning Suite, and many others. Utility suite - these suites include a variety of programs designed to make computing easier and safer. • Two of the best known are Norton System Works and Norton Internet Security Suite.

• SPECIALIZED APPLICATIONS

o Specialized applications are used within specific professions. These include: Graphics programs Web authoring programs

• TWO KINDS OF SOFTWARE:

o System software - works with end users, application software, and computer hardware to handle the majority of technical details. o Application software (apps) - end user software and is used to accomplish a variety of tasks.

• CLOUD COMPUTING

o Uses the Internet and the web to shift many computer activities from the user's computer to other computers on the Internet o Seen by many as a new model for computing that frees users from owning, maintaining, and storing software and data. Access to services from anywhere through an Internet connection Basic components to cloud computing are: • Clients o Corporations and end users who want access to data, programs, and storage. o Access available anywhere and anytime that a connection to the Internet is available o End users do not need to buy, install, and maintain application programs and data • Internet o Provides the connection between the clients and the providers o Two most critical factors determining the efficiency of cloud computing are: Speed and reliability of the user's access to the Internet Internet's capability to provide safe and reliable transmission of data and programs • Service Providers o Organizations with computers connected to the Internet that is willing to provide access to software, data, and storage. o Providers may charge a fee or it may be free Google Apps provides free access to programs with capabilities similar to Microsoft's Word, Excel and PowerPoint through an Internet connection

• WEB UTILITIES

o Utilities are programs that make computing easier o Web utilities are specialized utility programs that make using the Internet and the Web easier and safer o Some utilities are browser-related programs that either become part of the browser or are executed from the browser o Plug-ins Automatically start up and operate as part of the browser Some Web sites require plug-ins to experience their complete content • Acrobat Reader from Adobe - used to view and print standard forms and documents saved in a special format called PDF. • Flash Player from Adobe--for viewing videos, animations and other media. • QuickTime, from Apple - for playing audio and video files • Windows Media Player from Microsoft - used to play audio and video files Some are included in today's browsers and operating systems Others must be installed before they can be used by the browser o Filters Access to selected sites can be blocked, as well as setting time limits Parents and organizations use filters to block out selected sites and set time limits. These programs can monitor use, and generate reports detailing the total time spent on the Internet and the time spent at individual Web sites, chat groups, and newsgroups Some programs that provide these functions are Net Nanny, and CyberPatrol. See Figure 2-24 o File Transfer Utilities Three popular types: File transfer protocol (FTP) and secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) • Allow for the transferring of files across the Internet • Hosted by an Internet Service Provider Web-based file transfer services • Make use of a Web browser to upload and download files • Eliminates the need for any custom software to be installed • A popular web-based file transfer service is Dropbox.com BitTorrent • Distributes file transfers across many different computers • A single file might be located on dozens of individual computers • Well suited for transferring very large files o Internet Security Suites Collection of utility programs designed to maintain your security and privacy while on the web Protects your computer from viruses, controls spam, and provides filters Cost of purchasing a suite is typically less than purchasing each of the programs separately Two of the best known are McAfee's Internet Security and Symantec's Norton Internet Security • Careers in IT o Webmasters Develop and maintain Web sites and resources Job includes backup of the company Web site, updating resources, or development of new resources Involved in the design and development of the Web site Monitor and update interface design, as well as traffic to the Web site Webmasters can work with marketing departments Employers look for candidates with a bachelor's or associate's degree in computer science or information systems Knowledge of HTML and CSS Experience using Web authoring software and programs like Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Flash are often preferred Good communication and organizational skills are vital in this position

• WEB AUTHORING PROGRAMS

o Web Authoring - The process of creating a Web site o Individuals can create online diaries or commentaries, called blogs o Creating a site (web authoring) begins with site design followed by creation of a document file that displays the website's content. o Web site design Determine the site's overall content Break the content down into a series of related pieces of information. Graphical site map - the overall site design Figure 3-14 is an excellent illustration of a graphical map and the structure of a Web site Multimedia elements are added to individual pages to enhance interest and interactivity. Animations - moving graphics which can be simple moving text or complicated interactive features - are commonly found on Web pages Flash movies - a specialized program to aid in the creation of animation - can be inserted as a part of the Web page Web pages are typically HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) documents. Some web authoring programs are WYSIWYG editors • What you see is what you get • You can build a Web page without interacting directly with HTML code Widely used programs are Adobe Dreamweaver and Microsoft Expression Web

• GRAPHICS

o Widely used by professionals in the graphic arts profession. These include desktop publishing programs, image editing programs, illustration programs, and image galleries. o Desktop publishing or page layout programs Used to mix text and graphics to create publications of professional quality Focuses on page design and layout Used to create newsletters, brochures, newspapers, and textbooks. Popular programs are Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Publisher, and QuarkXPress Typically graphic artists import text and graphics from other sources into Desktop publishing programs o Image editors, known as photo editors Specialized graphics programs for editing or modifying digital photographs Used to touch up photographs to remove scratches and other imperfections Used with bitmap or raster images Popular programs are Adobe Photoshop, Corel Paint Shop Pro, GIMP, (GNU Image Manipulation Program), and Windows Photo Gallery. o Illustration programs, also known as drawing programs Used to create and/or edit vector images created by connecting lines and curves These objects can be defined by mathematical equations and can rapidly and easily be resized, colored, textured, and manipulated Used for graphic design, page layout, and creating sharp artistic images Popular programs are Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw, and Inkscape, o Image galleries Libraries of electronic images Used for a wide variety of applications Most applications provide access to a limited selection of free clip art. Two types of electronic images: • Stock photographs • Clip art