Computer 20 - 2018

Computer - Chapter One

Introduction to the world of computers
Computers in Your Life
Why we learn about computers?
A) Pervasive computing
- Known as ubiquitous (wide-spread) computing
- Computers have becoming an integral part of our lives
B) Basic computer literacy
- Knowing about and understanding computers and their uses is an essential skill today for everyone
C) Computers before 1980
- Computers were large, expensive
- Very few people had access to them
- Computers were mostly used for high-volume processing tasks (issuing bills and keep track of inventory)
D) Microcomputers in the early 80s
- Inexpensive personal computers
- Computer use increased dramatically
E) Computers today (2008)
- More than 60% of US households include a computer, and most use computers at work
- Electronic devices are converging into single units with multiple capabilities

Computers In the home

A) Computers used for a variety of tasks:
- Looking up information and news, Exchange e-mail, Shopping and paying bills, downloading
music and movies, organizing digital photographs, Playing games, Telecommuting
B) Convergence
- The computer has become the central part of home entertainment
- Dual-mode mobile phones
C) Wireless networking
- Computers can be used in nearly any location
D) Smart appliances
- Traditional appliances with built-in computer or communication technology
E) Smart homes
- Household tasks are monitored and controlled by a main computer in the house

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Computers in Education
A) K-12 schools now use the computer as an overall student-based learning tool
B) Colleges and universities are even more integrated
- Classrooms, computer labs, dorms, libraries
- Wireless hotspots and Internet assignments
C) Teachers
- Prepare handouts, exams, and class presentations, Maintain course Web pages
D) Distance learning
- Students participate from locations other than the traditional classroom setting using
computers and Internet access

Computers in Workplace
Computers have become a universal on-the-job tool for decision-making, productivity, and
communication
- Used by all types of employees
- Used for access control and other security measures
- Use by service professionals is growing
- Used extensively by the military
- Employees in all lines of work need to continually refresh their computer skills

Computers on the Go
Computers are encountered in nearly every aspect of daily life
- Portable PCs and handheld computers
- Wi-Fi hotspots and Internet cafes
- ATM machines and retail stores (POS)
- Self-checkout systems and consumer kiosks
- E-commerce systems
- GPS systems

What Is a Computer and What Does It Do?

Computers
Computer: A programmable, electronic device that accepts data, performs operations on that
data, and stores the data or results as needed
- Computers follow instructions, called programs, which determine the tasks the computer will
perform
Basic operations (IPOS)
1. Input: Entering data into the computer
2. Processing: Performing operations on the data
3. Output: Presenting the results
4. Storage: Saving data, programs, or output for future use
5. Communications [new]: Sending or receiving data (internet shared database E-mail)

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Data vs. Information

Data: Raw, unorganized facts (Can be in the form of text, graphics, audio, or video)
Information: Data that has been processed into a meaningful form
Information processing: Converting data into information (getting information instantly)

Computers Then and Now

The computer as we know it is a fairly recent invention
The history of computers is often referred to in terms of generations
Each new generation is characterized by a major technological development

0) Precomputes and early computers (before 1945)

- Abacus, slide rule, mechanical calculator
- Punch Card Tabulating Machine and Sorter

1) First-generation computers (1946-1957)

- Enormous and powered by vacuum tubes
- Used a great deal of electricity, and generated a lot of heat
- ENIAC and UNIVAC

2) Second-generation computers (1958-1963)

- Used transistors
- Computers were smaller, more powerful, cheaper, more efficient, and more reliable
- Punch cards and magnetic tape were used to input and store data

3) Third-generation computers (1964-1970)

- Used integrated circuits (ICs)
- Keyboards and monitors introduced

4) Fourth-generation computers (1971-present)

- Use microprocessors
- IBM PC, Apple Macintosh
- Use keyboards, mice, monitors, and printers
- Use magnetic disks, flash memory, and optical disks for storage
- Computer networks, wireless technologies, Internet introduced

5) Fifth-generation (now and the future)

- Infancy stage
- No precise classification
- May be based on artificial intelligence (AI)
- Likely use voice input
- May be based on optical computers and utilize nanotechnology

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Hardware
Hardware: The physical parts of a computer
a. Internal hardware
- Located inside the main box (system unit) of the computer
b. External hardware
- Located outside the system unit and plug into ports located on the exterior of the system unit
c. Hardware associated with each of the five computer operations

1) Input devices
- Used to input data into the computer
- Keyboards, mice, scanners, cameras, microphones, joysticks, etc.

2) Processing devices
- Perform calculations and control computers operation
- Central processing unit (CPU) and memory

3) Output devices
- Present results to the user
- Monitors, printers, speakers, projectors, etc

4) Storage devices
- Used to store data on or access data from storage media
- Hard drives, DVD disks and drives, USB flash drives, etc.

5) Communications devices
- Allow users to communicate with others and to electronically access information
- Modems, network adapters, etc.

Software
Software: The programs or instructions used to tell the computer hardware what to do

1) System software: Operating system allows a computer to operate

- The main system software is operating system, which starts up the computer and controls its operation
- Boots the computer and launches programs at the users direction
- Computer cant function without operating system
- Most use a GUI to interact with the user via windows, icons, menus, buttons, etc.
- Examples: Windows, Mac OS, Linux, etc.

2) Application software: Programs designed to performs specific tasks

- Creating letters, budgets, etc.
- Managing inventory and customer databases
- Editing photographs, scheduling appointments, Viewing Web pages
- Sending and receiving e-mail, Recording / playing CDs, designing homes, Playing games

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Computer Users and Professionals

1) Computer users (end users)
- People who use a computer to obtain information

2) Computer professionals include:

- Programmers (write programs that computer use)
- Systems analysts (who design computer systems to be used inside a company)
- Computer operations personnel (responsible for day-to-day operations)
- Security Specialist (responsible for securing the company computers from hackers and viruses)

Computers to Fit Every Need

- Six basic categories of computers

1) Embedded Computers
- Embedded computer: a tiny computer embedded into a product and designed to perform
specific tasks or functions for that product
- Cannot be used as general-purpose computers
- Often embedded into: Household appliances, Thermostats, Sewing machines, Cars

2) Mobile Devices
- Mobile device: A very small device with some type of built-in computing or Internet capability
- Typically based on cellular phones
- Examples: Smart phones, Smart watches, Handheld gaming devices, Portable digital media
players

3) Personal Computers (Microcomputers)

Personal computer: a computer system designed to be used by one person at a time
- available in a variety of shapes and sizes as follows:

A) Desktop PCs:
- fit on or next to a desk
- Can use tower case, desktop case, or all-in-one
- Can be PC-compatible or Macintosh
- Not designed to be portable

B) Portable PCs
1. Notebook (laptop) computers
- Typically use clamshell design
- Very thin and very light and they are comparable to desktop computer in features and
capabilities

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2. Tablet PCs
- Can be slate tablets or convertible
- Uses a stylus\digital pen

C) Handheld computers
- Size of a paperback book or pocket calculator
- Some include phone capabilities
- Ultra-Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC): Fully-functioning handheld
- Most include wireless networking capabilities
- Can synch (share information) with a desktop computer as needed
- Can use a docking station or notebook stand as needed

D) Thin Clients and Internet Appliances

1. Thin client or network computer (NC): PC designed to access a network for processing
and data storage
- Lower cost and easier maintenance (advantage)
- Limited or no storage (disadvantage)
- Not able to function as a computer if network is down
2. Internet appliance: Specialized network computer designed for Internet access and/or e-
mail exchange
- Often set-top boxes
- Can include Internet-enabled gaming consoles

4) Midrange Servers (Server)

- Also called minicomputer or midrange computer
- Midrange server: A medium-sized computer used to host programs and data for a small
network
- Typically, larger, more powerful, and more expensive than a desktop computer
- Users connect via a network with a computer, thin client, or dumb terminal
- used in small- to medium-sized businesses
- May consist of a collection of individual circuit boards called blades (blade servers)

5) Mainframe Computers
- Mainframe computer: Powerful computer used by several large organizations to manage large
amounts of centralized data
- Larger, more expensive, and more powerful than servers
- Standard choice for large organizations, hospitals, universities, large businesses, banks,
government offices
- Located in climate-controlled data centers and connected to the rest of the company
computers via a network
- Usually operate 24 hours a day (at day different needs of employees. At night, big tasks like payroll)
- Also called high-end servers or enterprise-class servers

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6) Supercomputers
A) Supercomputer: Fastest, most expensive, most powerful type of computer
- Generally, run one program at a time, as fast as possible
- Commonly built by connecting hundreds of smaller computers, supercomputing cluster
- Used for space exploration, missile guidance, satellites, weather forecast, oil exploration,
scientific research, complex Web sites, decision support systems, 3D applications, etc.

B) Grid computing: Using the unused processing power of a large number of computers to work
together on a single task

Computer Networks and the Internet

1) Computer network: A collection of hardware and other devices that are connected together to
enable Users to share hardware, software, and data as well as Users can communicate with
each other
- Computer networks exist in many sizes and types: Home networks, School and small business
networks, Large corporate, Public wireless networks, The Internet
2) Network servers: Manage resources on a network
3) Clients: Access resources through the network server

1) What Are the Internet and the World Wide Web?

Internet: The largest and most well-known computer network in the world
- Individuals connect to the Internet using an Internet service provider (ISP) which is company
that provides Internet access, usually for a fee.
World Wide Web: One resource (a vast collection of Web pages) available through the Internet
- Web sites contain Web pages stored on computers called Web servers
- Web pages viewed using a Web browser (Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Opera, etc.
A wide variety of information is available through the Web

A) Accessing a Network or the Internet

- it needs a modem or network adapter
- Some networks require a username and password
- Internet connections can be: Direct (always-on) connections or Dial-up connections
- Internet addresses are used to access resources on the Internet
a. IP address: Numeric address that identifies computers (207.46.138.20)
b. Domain name: Text-based address that identifies computers (microsoft.com)
c. Uniform resource locator (URL): Identifies Web pages (http://www.pbskids.org)
d. E-mail address: Identifies people for e-mail exchange ([email protected])

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B) IP Addresses and Domain Names

- IP (internet protocol) addresses are numeric and unique such as (207.46.197.32) that identifies
one computer server from others on the internet
- Domain Names: is a text Correspond to IP addresses. it also identifies one computer server
from other on the internet
- Top-level domains (TLDs) identifies type of organization or its location (.com - .org - .uk - .edu)

C) Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)

URL: Uniquely identifies a Web page on a website
- Consists of:
a. Information identifying the Web server
b. Names of folders in which the Web page files are stored
c. Web pages filename
Ex: https:// twitter.com / jobs / index.html
Protocols:
a. Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http) is typically used to display Web pages (https is used for
secure Web pages)
b. File Transfer Protocol (ftp) is often used for file exchange

D) E-Mail Addresses
- E-mail addresses consist of:
a. Username: A persons identifying name for a particular domain
b. The @ symbol
c. Domain name for the computer that will be handling the persons e-mail (mail server)
- Example: *******@foc.cu.edu.eg or *******@gmail.com

2) Surfing the Web

Web browser: Used to display Web pages
Browsers home page: The first page displayed when the browser is opened
- To load a Web page, you can:
a. Type a URL in the Address bar
b. Click a hyperlink on a displayed Web page
c. Select a Favorite/Bookmark or page from the History list

3) Searching the Web

- Search site: Web page that helps you find Web pages containing the information you are
seeking (Google)
- Typically search using keywords
- Reference sites: Look up addresses, telephone numbers, ZIP codes, maps, etc.

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4) E-mail
- Electronic mail (e-mail): electronic messages exchanged via a private network or the Internet
- Can be conventional or Web-based
- Can contain photos, attached files, etc.

Computers and Society

- The vast improvements in technology over the past decade have had a distinct impact on daily
life, both at home and at work
- Many benefits of a computer-oriented society it helped in all aspects of our lives medicine
education manufacturing weather banks and so on
- There are Also risks of computer
a. Computer viruses (Malware)
b. Identity theft and phishing
c. Privacy issues
- Differences in online communications
- The anonymity factors
- Information integrity (not all information on the Internet is accurate)

End of chapter :)

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