Some
terms to know:
Computer Literacy:
Having
an understanding of what a computer is and how it can be used as a resource.
Computer Competency:
Applying
your computer skills to meet your information needs, and improve
your productivity (aka:being able to apply basic skills to
new systems and software.).
Software: tells
hardware how to perform a task
data: facts
and figures processed into information.
Electricity:
can
either be turned on or off.
Modems: used
to translate digital signals to analogue signals, and vise versa.
A few other tidbits...
Six components of
a computer -based information system:
1. Hardware
2. Software
3. Data/Information
4. People
5. Procedures
6. Communications
Number systems...
Five categories of
computer hardware(see pg1.8-1.11):
1. Input
2. Output
3. Processing
and memory
4. Storage
5. Communications
Two categories of software:
1. System
software (the computer's head honcho)
2. Applications
software
Some things to ponder...
What is a computer?
What is connectivity?
(see pg. 1.21)
Some terms to now:
Coding schemes:
EBCDIC:
Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange
ASCII:
American Standard Code for Information Interchange
Unicode:
Universal [character] code
Machine language:
Sequence of binary instructions that tell the CPU what operation to perform
Processor:
Interprets binary instruction
CPU:
Central Processing Unit
ALU:
Arithmetic Logic Unit
Memory:
RAM:
Random Access Memory (volatile)
ROM: Read Only Memory (data never lost)
forms
of ROM: PROM: Programmable read-only
EPROM: Erasable Programmable
EEPROM: Electronically Erasable
Cache memory:
temporary storage (very fast)
A few other tidbits:
Two types of processing:
1. CISK:
Complex instruction set computer
2. RISK:
Reduced instruction set computer
Processor and bus speed are measured in mega/gigahertz
Four different types
of Ports:
1. External
2. Parallel
3. Serial
4. Video
Three Types of
Buses:
1. Peripheral
2. USB
3. FEEE
1394 (Firewire)
Some things to ponder...
Give Definitions to
the four different types of ports. (pg 2.15)
Why do we use gold
in the computer?
What are the capacities
of machine language? (see pg. 2.7)
What is the difference
between CISK and RISK? (see pg 2.11)
What is primary memory
called? (see pg 2.11-2.12)
What are some other
types of memory? (pg 2.12)
What are microchips
made of?
Some terms to know:
Input hardware:
translates data into a form the computer can use
Output hardware:
translates information into a form people can understand
Mark and character
recognition devices: records/plays analogue
sounds and stores as digital
Output devices(see
pg. 3.22):
Impact
printers: -laser:creates images with dots
-ink jet: sprays small electrical dots to form images
Plotters
(see pg. 3.26): output device that produces
high quality graphics (used for maps, architecture, etc.)
VRAM:
Controls resolution of images (video RAM)
Resolution:
Clarity or sharpness of display screen
Dot pitch:
Amount of space between pixels
Refresh rate:
Number of times/second that pixels are charged
Pixel:
Smallest unit on a screen that can be turned on or off.
MICR:
Magnetically charged numbers (ex: bank checks)
OMR:
Reads pencil marks and converts to machine language (ex: bubble sheets)
OCR:
Reads OCR fonts typewriter and computer fonts, and converts them to machine
language (ex: utility bills, pricetags , etc.)
CRT:
cathode-ray tube; vacuum tubes used as display screen
LCD:
Liquid Crystal display
EL:
Electroluminescent display
A few other tidbits:
Scanning Devices:
1. Bar-code
readers
2. Fax
machines
3. Imaging
systems
4. Mark
and character recognition devices
A few things to ponder...
What are biometrics?
(see pg.3.20)
How do monitors work?
(see pg. 3.27)
What are active and
passive matrixes, which one is more efficient and why? (see pg. 3.28-3.29)
How is hardware used
by a computer, and what are some examples? (see pg. 3.2-3.3)
What are some examples
of pointing devices? (see pg. 3.7)
Some terms to know:
Kilobyte:
1024 bytes
Megabyte:
1 million bytes
Gigabyte:
1 billion bytes
Terabyte:
1 trillion bytes
Optical disks:
CD ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD ROM/RAM, DVD-RW
A few other tidbits:
Two types of storage:
1. Primary
= RAM (temporary)
2. Secondary
= disk, CD, etc. ("semi" permanent)
Two types of storage
methodes:
1. Sequencial
2. Direct
access
Two types of files:
1. Program
files - written in M.C., run by OS and CPU
2. Data
files - anything but program files
Some things to ponder...
What is the difference
between the two types of storage methods?(see pg.4.3)
What are some advantages/disadvantages
of a hard disk? (see pg 4.14)
What is flash memory?
(see pg. 4.26)
What is so great about
DVD's?
What is the difference
between Serif and Sans Serif fonts?
Some terms to know:
System Software:
Work "behind the scenes"...tell application software how to operate. (see
detailed description, pg. 5.3)
Applications Software:
Computer programs designed to satisfy users needs (see pg. 5.3 and diagram
on same page)
Operating System:
manages basic computer operations
Multitasking:
One user, using more than one program on one computer with one central
processor.
Multiprogramming:
Multiuser OS using more than one program (multiple user version of multitasking)
Multiprocessing:
simultaneous work done by two or more computers or processors linked together.
Lossy Compression:
has loss of accuracy, but high compression
Lossless Compression:
nothing lost, but lower compression than lossy.
GUI:
Graphical user interface (see pg. 5.12 for more info)
A few other tidbits:
System Software Components:
1. Operating
system
2. Ulilities
3. Language
translators (BIOS)
Two types of Lossy
Compression:
1. JPEG
(for still images)
2. MPEG
(for video images)
Examples of Lossless
Compression:
1. Winzip
2. ARC
3. PAK
4. StuffIt
5. PackIt
Some things to ponder...
What is fragmentation
and Defragmentation? (see pg.5.11)
What are some different
types of operating systems?
Some terms to know:
Groupware:
software used on a netwok by a group of individuals working together
Database software:
program that controls the structure of a database and access to the data.
PIM: Personal
Info. Manager
Intergrated Software
Packages: combined features of several application
programs
Copyright:
exclusive legal right that prohibits copying of property without permission
Plagarism:
expropriation of another's work as your own
A few other tidbits:
Four categories of
Application Software
1. Entertainment
software (adventure games)
2. Productivity
software (word, browsers, spreadsheets)
3.Business/
specialty software (drawing, paint, CAD, CAM)
4.Educational/
reference software (encyclopedias)
Some things to ponder...
What are some software
features? (see pg. 6.4-6.6)
What are some types
of licenses? (see pg. 6.34)
Some terms to know:
Communication:
transfer of data from transmitter
Modem:
converts digital to analogue and vise versa
ISDN:
Intergrated Services Digital Network (see pg. 7.7)
ASDL:
Assymetric Digital Subscriber (see pg. 7.7)
Communications channel:
path over which data travels in a telecommunications system
Bandwidth:
difference between highest and lowest frequencies
Multiplexer:
merges several low-speed transmissions into one high-speed tranmission.
Protocol:
controls the exchanger of data between hardware/software components in
communications netwaok
OSI:
Open Systems Interconnection (defines layers of protocol)
Network:
system of interconnected communication devices (review networks, pg. 7.26-7.32)
MAN:
(Metro Area Network) covers geographical area size of city of suburb
LAN:
(Local Area Network) serves users within confined geographical area (ex:
office)
Intranet:
internal corperate network
Extranet:
extended inranet
Firewall:
security program connecting Intranet to external networks.
A few other tidbits:
Five types of Communications
Channel:
1. Twisted
wire pair
2. Coaxial
cable
3. Fiber
optic cable
4. Microwave
systems
5. Satellite
systems
Something to ponder...
Give definitions for
the different types of communications channels.
Some terms to know:
ARPAnet:
Advanced Research Project Agency (see pg. 8.3)
UNIX:
Communicatin protocol
TCP/IP:
Transmission control protocol
FTP:
File Transfer Protocol
URL:
Uniform Resource Locator...address to a website
HTTP:
Hypertext Transfer Protocol
HTML:
Hypertext Markup Language
A few other tidbits:
2 puposes for the
ARPAnet:
1. Share
research among military, industry
2. Provide
a system which could maintain communications in the event of a nuclear
attack
Some things to ponder...
How can so many different
computers communicate over the internet?
What can the internet
be used for? (see pg. 8.5)
How abouts you open up your
book and read for a while!!!!