Table Of ContentComputing Essentials
2010 Edition
Computing Essentials
2010 Edition
Timothy J. O’Leary
Arizona State University
Linda I. O’Leary
Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited
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Tata McGraw-Hill
COMPUTING ESSENTIALS, CUSTOMIZED EDITION 2010
Indian Adaptation done by arrangement with The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., New York
Second reprint 2007
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Copyright © 2011, by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights
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Tata McGraw-Hill Edition 2010
ISBN –13: 978-0-07-107258-8
ISBN –10: 0-07-107258-6
Published by the Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited,
7 West Patel Nagar, New Delhi 110 008, and printed at Gopsons, A — 2&3,
Sector — 64, Noida, U.P. — 201301
Cover:Gopsons
Contents
1
Light Pen2-6
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, THE Stylus2-7
Scanning Devices 2-7
INTERNET, AND YOU 1-1
Information Systems 1-3 Optical Scanners2-7
People 1-5 Bar Code Readers2-8
Character and Mark Recognition Devices2-8
Making IT Work for You:
Image Capturing Devices 2-9
Information Technology Topics 1-6
Software 1-7 Digital Camera2-9
System Software 1-7 Digital Video Camera2-9
Audio-Input Devices 2-10
Application Software 1-7
Hardware 1-9 Voice2-10
Types of Computers 1-9 Making IT Work for You:
Microcomputer Hardware 1-9 WebCams and Instant Messaging 2-11
Data 1-13 Music2-13
What Is Output? 2-13
Connectivity, the Wireless Revolution,
Monitors 2-14
and the Internet 1-14
Features2-14
A Look to the Future: Using and Understanding
Cathode-Ray Tube2-14
Information Technology Means Being Computer
Competent 1-15 Flat-Panel Monitor2-15
Other Monitors2-15
2 Printers 2-16
Features2-16
INPUT AND OUTPUT 2-1
Ink-Jet Printer2-17
What Is Input? 2-3
Laser Printer 2-17
Keyboard Entry 2-3
Thermal Printer2-18
Keyboards2-3
Other Printers 2-18
Features2-4
Audio-Output Devices 2-19
Pointing Devices 2-5
Combination Input and Output
Mouse 2-5
Devices 2-19
Joystick 2-6
Fax Machines2-19
Touch Screen2-6
Multifunction Devices2-19
v
`
Internet Telephone2-20 Microprocessor Chips4-9
Terminals2-20 Specialty Processors4-10
A Look to the Future: Electronic Translators May Be Memory 4-11
in Your Future2-22 RAM 4-11
ROM 4-12
3 CMOS 4-12
SECONDARY STORAGE 3-1 System Clock 4-13
Expansion Slots and Cards 4-13
Storage 3-3
Floppy Disks 3-3 Making IT Work for You: TV Tuner Cards and
Traditional Floppy Disk 3-4 Video Clips 4-15
Bus Lines 4-17
High Capacity Floppy Disks 3-5
Hard Disks 3-6 Expansion Buses4-17
Ports 4-18
Internal Hard Disk 3-6
Hard-Disk Cartridges 3-7 Standard Ports 4-18
Hard-Disk Packs 3-7 Cables4-19
Power Supply 4-19
Performance Enhancements 3-8
Optical Disks 3-10 A Look to the Future: Xybernaut Corporation
Compact Disc 3-10 Makes Wearable Computers a Reality 4-20
Digital Versatile Disc 3-11
5
Other Types of Secondary
Storage 3-12 SYSTEM SOFTWARE 5-1
Solid-State Storage 3-12 System Software 5-3
Making IT Work for You: Operating Systems 5-4
Music from the Internet 3-13 Functions 5-4
Internet Hard Drives 3-15 Features 5-4
Magnetic Tape 3-16 Categories 5-5
Mass Storage Devices 3-16 Windows 5-7
A Look to the Future: Blu-Ray Technology and Mac OS 5-8
Plastic Memory Expected to Replace DVD 3-18 UNIX and Linux 5-8
Utilities 5-9
4 Windows Utilities 5-9
THE SYSTEM UNIT 4-1 Utility Suites 5-12
Device Drivers5-14
System Unit4-3
Electronic Data and Instructions 4-5 Making IT Work for You: Virus Protection and
Binary Coding Schemes 4-5 Internet Security 5-15
System Board 4-7 A Look to the Future: IBM Builds an Aware
Microprocessor 4-9 Supercomputer5-18
vi Contents
6 Physical Connections7-5
Wireless Connections7-5
THE INTERNET, THE WEB, AND
Connection Devices 7-7
ELECTRONIC COMMERCE 6-1
Modems7-7
The Internet and the Web 6-3
Connection Service7-8
Access 6-4
Data Transmission 7-9
Providers6-4 Bandwidth7-9
Browsers 6-5 Protocols7-10
Communication 6-7
Networks 7-10
E-Mail 6-7 Terms 7-10
Instant Messaging 6-9 Network Types 7-12
Discussion Groups 6-9 Local Area Networks7-12
Making IT Work for You: Blocking Spam 6-11 Home Networks7-13
Search Tools 6-13
Metropolitan Area Networks7-13
Search Engines 6-13 Wide Area Networks7-14
Metasearch Engines 6-14 Network Architecture 7-14
Specialized Search Engines 6-14 Configurations 7-14
Electronic Commerce 6-15
Making IT Work for You: Home
Web Storefronts 6-16 Networking 7-15
Web Auctions 6-16 Strategies 7-18
Security 6-17
Organizational Internets: Intranets and
Web Utilities 6-18
Extranets 7-20
Telnet 6-18 Intranets7-21
FTP 6-18 Extranets7-21
Plug-ins 6-18 Firewalls7-21
Filters 6-19
A Look to the Future: Toyota and Sony Create
A Look to the Future: Internet2 Is a High- Wireless Robotic Car 7-22
Performance Network6-20
8
7
BASIC APPLICATION SOFTWARE 8-1
COMMUNICATIONS AND Application Software8-3
NETWORKS 7-1 Common Features 8-3
Communications 7-3 Web-based Applications 8-4
Connectivity7-3 Making IT Work for You: Speech
The Wireless Revolution7-3 Recognition 8-5
Communication Systems7-4 Word Processors 8-7
Communication Channels 7-5
Contents vii
Features 8-7 Developing Multimedia Presentations 9-8
Case8-7 Making IT Work for You: Digital Video
Spreadsheets 8-10 Editing9-9
Features8-10 Multimedia Authoring Programs9-11
Case 8-11 Web Authoring 9-13
Database Management Systems 8-15 Web Site Design9-13
Features8-15 Web Authoring Programs9-13
Case8-15 Emerging Applications9-14
Presentation Graphics8-18 Virtual Reality9-16
Features 8-18 Knowledge-based (Expert) Systems 9-16
Case8-18 Robotics 9-17
Integrated Packages 8-20 A Look to the Future: The Future of Artificial
Case8-20 Intelligence Is Emotional 9-18
Software Suites 8-21
Sharing Data between Applications 8-22
Copy and Paste 8-22
Object Linking and Embedding 8-22
A Look to the Future: Web-based Application
Software Updates Ease Maintenance 8-24
9
SPECIALIZED APPLICATION
SOFTWARE 9-1
Specialized Applications 9-3
Graphics 9-4
Desktop Publishing 9-4
Image Editors 9-4
Illustration Programs9-4
Image Galleries9-4
Graphics Suites 9-6
Audio and Video 9-6
Multimedia 9-7
Links and Buttons9-8
viii Contents
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY,
THE INTERNET, AND YOU
COMPETENCIES
After you have read this chapter, you should be able to:
1 Explain the five parts of an information system: people, procedures, software,
hardware, and data.
2 Distinguish between system software and application software.
3 Discuss the three kinds of system software programs.
4 Distinguish between basic and specialized application software.
5 Identify the four types of computers and the four types of microcomputers.
6 Describe the different types of computer hardware including the system unit, input,
output, storage, and communication devices.
7 Define data and describe document, worksheet, database, and presentation files.
8 Explain computer connectivity, the wireless revolution, and the Internet.
CONTENTS
Information Systems 1-4
People 1-6
Software 1-8
Types of Computers 1-10
Hardware 1-10
Data 1-14
Connectivity, the Wireless Revolution, and the Internet 1-15
1
CHAPTER
J
ust as the Internet and the Web have affected all
of us, they have affected computer technology as • Microcomputers are common tools in all areas
well. Today, communication links to the Internet of life. Writers write, artists draw, engineers
are a common feature of almost all computer sys- and scientists calculate—all on microcomput-
tems. Information technology (IT) is a modern ers. Students and businesspeople do all this,
term that describes this combination of tradition- and more.
al computer and communication technologies. • New forms of learning have developed. People
The purpose of this book is to help you who are homebound, who work odd hours, or
become competent with computer technology. who travel frequently may take courses on the
Computer competency refers to acquiring com- Web. A college course need not fit within the
puter-related skills. These skills are indispensable usual time of a quarter or a semester.
tools for today. They include how to efficiently • New ways to communicate, to find people
and effectively use popular application packages with similar interests, and to buy goods are
and the Internet. available. All kinds of people are using elec-
In this chapter, we first present an overview of tronic mail, electronic commerce, and the
an information system: people, procedures, soft- Internet to meet and to share ideas and prod-
ware, hardware, and data. It is essential to under- ucts.
stand these basic parts and how connectivity What about you? How are you using informa-
through the Internet and the Web expands the tion technology? Many interesting and practical
role of information technology in our lives. In uses have recently surfaced to make our personal
subsequent chapters, we will describe these parts lives richer and more entertaining. These applica-
of an information system in detail. tions range from recording digital video clips to
Fifteen years ago, most people had little to do creating personalized Web sites.
with computers, at least directly. Of course, they To be competent with IT, you need to know
filled out computerized forms, took computerized the five parts of an information system: people,
tests, and paid computerized bills. But the real procedures, software, hardware, and data.
work with computers was handled by specialists— Additionally, you need to understand connectivi-
programmers data entry clerks, and computer ty, the wireless revolution, the Internet, and the
operators. Web and to recognize the role of information
Then microcomputers came along and changed technology in your personal and professional life.
everything. Today it is easy for nearly everybody to
use a computer.
