IN

LESSON 1 FORMATION TECHNOLOGY & YOUR LIFE: THE FUTURE NOW

Being computer savvy means knowing what computers can do and what they can’t, knowing how they can benefit you and how
they can harm you, knowing when you can solve computer problems and when you have to call for help.

Among the practical payoffs are these:

• You will know to make better buying decisions
• You will know how to fix ordinary computer problems
• You will know how to upgrade your equipment & integrate it with new products • You will know
how to use the internet most effectively
• You will know how to protect yourself against online villains
• You will know what kinds of computer uses can advance your career

Information Technology (IT) is a general term that describes any technology that helps to produce, manipulate, store,
communicate, and/or disseminate information.

THE TWO PARTS OF IT: COMPUTERS & COMMUNICATIONS

Computer Technology
A computer is a programmable, multiuse machine that accepts data—raw facts and figures—and processes, or
manipulates, it into information we can use.

Communications Technology
Communications technology, also called telecommunications technology, consists of electromagnetic devices and systems for
communicating over long distances.

In this context, online means using a computer or some other information device, connected through a network, to access
information and services from another computer or information device. A network is a communications system connecting two
or more computers; the internet is the largest such network.

EDUCATION: THE PROMISE OF MORE INTERACTIVE & INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING

When properly integrated into the curriculum and classroom, information technology can 1. allow students
to personalize their education;
2. automate many tedious and rote tasks of teaching and managing classes; and 3. reduce the teacher’s workload per student,
so that he or she can spend more time on reaching individual students.

Email, or “electronic mail,” messages transmitted over a computer network, most often the internet.

Besides using the internet to help in teaching, today’s college instructors also use presentation graphics software such as
PowerPoint to show their lecture outlines and other materials on classroom screens. In addition, the use of course-management
software for administering online assignments, schedules, examinations, and grades. One of the most intriguing developments in
education at all levels, however, is the rise of distance learning, or e-learning, the name given to online education programs.

In colleges, more students may use interactive simulation games to apply their knowledge to real-world kinds of problems. And
employees in company training programs may find themselves engaged in mock
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conversations with avatars —computer depictions of humans, as are often found in online videogames— that represent
imaginary customers and coworkers, combining the best parts of computer-based learning with face-to-face interaction.

HEALTH: HIGH TECH FOR WELLNESS

Telemedicine is a medical care delivered via telecommunications.

Robots —automatic devices that perform functions ordinarily performed by human beings

MONEY: TOWARD THE CASHLESS SOCIETY

Virtual means that something is created, simulated, or carried on by means of a computer or a computer network.

Some banks and other businesses are backing an electronic-payment system that allows internet users to buy goods and services
with micropayments, electronic payments of as little as 25 cents in transactions for which it is uneconomical to use a credit card.

LEISURE: INFOTECH IN ENTERTAINMENT & THE ARTS

Downloading —transferring data from a remote computer to one’s own computer

GOVERNMENT & ELECTRONIC DEMOCRACY: PARTICIPATING IN THE CIVIC REALM

The internet and other information technology have helped government deliver better services and have paved the way for
making governmental operations more transparent to the public. The internet is also changing the nature of politics, enabling
political candidates and political interest groups to connect with voters in new ways, to raise money from multiple small donors
instead of just rich fat cats, and (using cellphones and text messaging) to organize street protests.

JOBS & CAREERS

Today almost every job and profession require computer skills of some sort. Consider:

• In the hotel business, even front-desk clerks need to know how to deal with computerized reservation systems.
• In law enforcement, police officers need to know how to use computers while on patrol or at their desks to check out
stolen cars, criminal records, outstanding arrest warrants, and the like. • In entertainment, there are also new careers in
virtual set design, combining training in architecture and 3D computer modeling, and in creating cinematic special effects.

PERSONAL
LESSON 2 TECHNOLOGY: THE FUTURE IS YOU

CONVERGENCE, PORTABILITY, & PERSONALIZATION

Convergence, or Digital Convergence, describes the combining of several industries—computers, communications, consumer
electronics, entertainment, and mass media—through various devices that exchange data in digital form.

Hybrid convergence devices have pros and cons, as follows:

Convergence: The Upside

The new Holy Grail of convergence seems to be a “digital Swiss Army knife,” a universal device that will perform
several functions.

Convergence: The Downside

Any convergent device where, as a result, a primary feature is compromised is just not a good idea.

Portability is possible thanks to increasing miniaturization, faster speeds, and declining costs, more and more mobile phone and
other electronic components can be crammed into smaller and smaller gadgets.

Portability also has its upside and downside.

Portability: The Upside

The advantages of portability seem obvious: being able to do phone calls and emails from anywhere that you can make
a connection, keeping up with your social networks, listening to hundreds of songs on a digital music player such as an
iPod, taking photos or video anywhere on a whim, watching TV anywhere anytime.

Portability: The Downside

The same portable technology that enables you to access information and entertainment anytime anywhere often means
that others can find you equally conveniently (for them). Nonstop connectivity may rain digital information on you, but
it can also have the paradoxical result of removing you from real human contact.

Personalization
Telecommunications can be organized through two kinds of arrangements:

1. In the tree-and-branch telecommunications model, a centralized information provider sends out messages through many
channels to thousands of consumers.

2. In the switched-network telecommunications model, a common carrier provides circuit switching among public users;
that is, a temporary connection is established by closing a circuit.

Personalization: The Upside

As a consumer, you have all the options to personalize things you get. In addition, of course, PC software can be used to
create all kinds of personal projects, ranging from artwork to finances to genealogy.

Personalization: The Downside

The downside of personalization is that people may feel overburdened with too much choice.

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One result of having several choices is that many people do multitasking —performing several tasks at once, shifting focus
from one task to another in rapid succession.

POPULAR PERSONAL TECHNOLOGIES

1. Portable Media Players

Portable Media Players (PMPs) are small portable devices that enable you to play digital audio, video, or still- image files.
MP3 (M-peg Audio Layer 3) is a format that allows audio files to be compressed so they are small enough to be sent over
the internet or stored as digital
files.
2. High-Tech Radio: Satellite, HD, & Internet
Satellite radio, also called digital radio, is a radio service in which digital signals are sent from satellites in orbit around the
Earth to subscribers owning special radios that can decode the encrypted signals.

HD radio, which provides CD-quality sound and allows broadcasters to squeeze one analog and two digital stations on the
same frequency.

Internet Radio, allows listeners to pick a category, such as alternative rock, and then play a number of songs in that genre,
with fewer ads than are found on traditional radio.

Podcasting involves the recording of internet radio or similar internet audio programs.

3. Digital Cameras
A point-and-shoot camera is a camera, either film or digital, that automatically adjusts settings such as exposure and focus.

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A single-lens reflex (SLR) camera is a camera, either film or digital, that has a mirror that reflects the incoming light in such
a way that the scene viewed by the viewer through the viewfinder is the same as what’s framed by the lens.

4. Personal Digital Assistants & Tablet PCs

Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is a portable device that stores personal organization tools, such as schedule planner,
address book, and to-do list, along with other, more specialized software.

A Tablet PC is a special notebook computer outfitted with a digitizer tablet and a stylus that allows a user to handwrite text
on the unit’s screen. The stylus can take the place of a keyboard when users use an on-screen input panel or tap letters and
numbers directly on an on-screen keyboard.

5. Interactive, Internet-Ready, & Mobile TV

Interactive TV lets you interact with the show you’re watching.

Internet TV is television distributed via the internet.

Internet-ready TV (which some people also call smart TV) consists of television sets that allow viewers to watch TV shows
 as well as go online to get news, stream movies, view photos.

6. Smartphones
Smartphones, cellular telephones with microprocessor, memory, display screen, and built-in modem.

Text messaging, or texting, is the sending of short messages, generally no more than a couple of hundred characters in
length, to a pager, PDA, smartphone, or other handheld device. Sometimes text messages (“texts”) are called SMSes. SMS
stands for Short Message Service, a text message service originally designed for GSM mobile phones but now available on a
range of networks

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TH
LESSON 3 E ALL-PURPOSE MACHINE: THE VARIETIES OF COMPUTERS

COMPUTER BASICS

What is a computer?

At its core, a computer is a multipurpose device that accepts input, processes data, stores data, and produces
output, all according to a series of stored instructions.

What is input?

Computer input is whatever is typed, submitted, or transmitted to a computer system. Input can be supplied by a
person, by the environment, or by another computer.
 What is output?

Output is the result produced by a computer.

What does process data mean?

Technically speaking, data refers to the symbols that represent facts, objects, and ideas. Computers manipulate
data in many ways, and this manipulation is called processing. In a computer, most processing takes place in a
component called the central processing unit or CPU. The CPU of most modern computers is a microprocessor,
which is an electronic component that can be programmed to perform tasks based on data it receives.

How do computers store data?

A computer stores data so that it will be available for processing. Memory is an area of a computer that
temporarily holds data waiting to be processed, stored, or output. Storage is the area where data can be left on a
permanent basis when it is not immediately needed for processing.

A computer file, usually referred to simply as a file, is a named collection of data that exists on a storage medium,
such as a hard disk, floppy disk, CD, DVD, or flash drive.

What’s so significant about a computer’s ability to store instructions?

The series of instructions that tells a computer how to carry out processing tasks is referred to as a computer
program, or simply a program. These programs form the software that sets up a computer
to do a specific task.

The idea of a stored program means that a series of instructions for a computing task can be loaded into a
computer’s memory.

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What kinds of software do computers run?

Computers run two main types of software: application software and system software.

Application software is a set of computer programs that helps a person carry out a task. Whereas application
software is designed to help a person carry out a task, the primary purpose of system software is to help the
computer system monitor itself in order to function efficiently.

PERSONAL COMPUTERS, SERVERS, MAINFRAMES, AND SUPERCOMPUTERS

What is a personal computer?

A personal computer is a microprocessor- based computing device designed to meet the computing needs of an
individual. Personal computers are available as desktop or portable models, and in a variety of form factors, a
term that refers to the dimensions of the unit that holds the computer circuitry.

Personal computer
designs run the
gamut from drab
gray boxes to colorful
curvy cases.
 What is a workstation?

The term workstation has two meanings. It can simply refer to an

ordinary personal computer that is connected to a network. A
second meaning refers to powerful desktop computers used for high
performance tasks, such as medical imaging and computer-aided
design, that require a lot of processing speed.

What makes a computer a server?

In the computer industry, the term server has several This IBM z10 E12 mainframe
meanings. In any case, the purpose of a server is to serve computer
weighs 2,807 pounds and is about 6.5 feet tall.
computers on a network by supplying them with data. Any
A mainframe computer (or simply a mainframe) is a large
software or digital device, such as a computer, that requests
and expensive computer capable of simultaneously
data from a server is referred to as a client.
processing data for hundreds or thousands of users.
What’s so special about a mainframe computer?
A workstation resembles a desktop computer, but typically features more
processing power and storage capacity.

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How powerful is a supercomputer? different tasks.

A computer falls into the Why are microcontrollers significant?

supercomputer category if it is, at the
time of construction, one of the fastest Microcontrollers can be embedded in all sorts of everyday
computers in the world. devices, enabling machines to perform sophisticated tasks
that require awareness and feedback from the environment.
A compute-intensive problem is one
that requires massive amounts of data
to be processed using complex When the IBM Roadrunner computer smashed the petaflop (one thousand
trillion calculations per second) barrier in 2008, it became the world’s
mathematical calculations. fastest supercomputer

MICROCONTROLLERS

What is a microcontroller?

A microcontroller is a special-purpose microprocessor that is

built into the machine it controls. A microcontroller is
sometimes called a computer-on-a-chip or an embedded
computer because it includes many of the elements common
to computers.

Is a microcontroller really a computer?

A microcontroller seems to fit the input, processing, output,

and storage criteria that define computers. Some
microcontrollers can even be reprogrammed to perform
A microcontroller is usually mounted on a circuit board and then installed in a
machine or appliance using wires to carry input and output signals.
 🢆 When combined with wireless networks, devices with embedded processors can relay information to Web
sites, cell phones, and a variety of data collection devices.

🢆 Machines and appliances with embedded processors tend to be smarter about their use of resource.

🢆 Perhaps the most significant effect of microcontrollers is that they are an almost invisible technology, one
that doesn’t require much adaptation or learning on the part of the people who interact with micro-
controlled devices.

However, because microcontrollers remain mostly out-of-sight and out-of-mind, it is easy for their use to creep
into areas that could be detrimental to quality of life, privacy, and freedom.

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COMPUTER SOFTWARE BASICS

LESSON 4

What is software?
The instructions that tell a computer how to carry out a task are referred to as a computer program or software.

The two main categories are system software and application software. System software is designed for computer-
centric tasks, whereas application software is designed to help people accomplish real-world tasks.

System software includes operating systems, utilities, and device drivers. A type of system software called utility
software is designed to help you monitor and configure settings for your computer system equipment, the operating
system, or application software. A device driver is software that helps a peripheral device establish communication with
a computer.

Each use of a computer is considered an application, and the software that provides the computer with instructions for
each use is called application software, an application, or simply an app.

Productivity software can be defined as any type of application software that has the potential to help people do their
work more efficiently. Another type of application software, called groupware, is designed to help several people
collaborate on a single project using local networks or Internet connections.

POPULAR SOFTWARE

A document production software assists you with composing, editing, designing, printing, and electronically publishing
documents. The three most popular types of document production software are:

1. Word processing software

Word processing packages give you the ability to create, spell-check, edit, and format a document on the
screen before you commit it to paper.
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2. Desktop publishing software

Desktop publishing software (abbreviated DTP) takes word processing software one step further by
helping you use graphic design techniques to enhance the format and appearance of a document.
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3. Web authoring software
Web authoring software helps you design and develop customized Web pages that you can publish
electronically on the Internet.

A spreadsheet uses rows and columns of numbers to create a model or representation of a real situation. Spreadsheet
software provides tools to create electronic spreadsheets
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In the context of modern usage, a database is simply a collection of data that is stored on one or more computers.
Database software helps you enter, find, organize, update, and report information stored in a database.

Graphics software is designed to help you create, manipulate, and print graphics. In computer lingo, the term graphics
refers to any picture, drawing, sketch, photograph, image, or icon that appears on your computer screen

a. Paint software (sometimes called image editing software) provides a set of electronic pens, brushes, and
paints for painting images on the screen.

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b. Photo editing software includes features specially designed to fix poor-quality photos.
c. Drawing software provides a set of lines, shapes, and colors that can be assembled into diagrams, corporate
logos, and schematics.

d. CAD software (computer-aided design software) is a special type of 3-D graphics software designed for
architects and engineers who use computers to create blueprints and product specifications.

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e. Presentation software supplies the tools you need for combining text, photos, clip art, graphs, animations,
and sound into a series of electronic slides.
 It is possible to make digital voice and music recordings which can be stored on a computer’s hard disk. Audio editing
software typically includes playback as well as recording capabilities.

a. A variety of software allows you to convert music from commercial CDs for use on computers and portable
audio players. CD ripper software pulls a track off an audio CD and stores it in raw digital format on your
computer’s hard disk.

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b. Audio encoding software (sometimes called an audio format converter) converts the raw audio file into a format such as MP3
or AAC.

c. Ear training software targets musicians and music students who want to learn to play by ear, develop tuning skills, recognize
notes and keys, and develop other musical skills.
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 d. Notation software helps musicians compose, edit, and print the notes for their compositions.

e. For non-musicians, computer-aided music software is designed to generate unique musical compositions
simply by selecting the musical style, instruments, key, and tempo.

f. MIDI sequencing software and software synthesizers are an important part of the studio musician’s toolbox.
They’re great for sound effects and for controlling keyboards and other digital instruments.

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Video editing software provides a set of tools for transferring video footage from a camcorder to a computer, clipping
out unwanted footage, assembling video segments in any sequence, adding special visual effects, and adding a
soundtrack. DVD authoring software offers tools for creating DVDs.

Educational software helps you learn and practice new skills. For older students and adults, software is available for
such diverse educational endeavors. Reference software provides a collection of information and a way to access that
information.

Business software is a broad term that describes vertical and horizontal market software, which helps businesses and
organizations accomplish routine or specialized tasks. Vertical market software is designed to automate specialized
tasks in a specific market or business. Horizontal market software is a generic software that just about any kind of
business can use.

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 INTERNET, WEB, and E-MAIL
LESSON 5

INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE

What is the Internet backbone?

The Internet backbone is a network of high-capacity
communications links that provides the main routes for
data traffic across the Internet. Backbone links and routers
are maintained by network service providers (NSPs). NSP
equipment and links are tied together by network access
points (NAPs).

An Internet service provider (ISP) is a company that offers

Internet access to individuals, businesses, and smaller ISPs.

How does my computer fit into the structure of the Internet?

A modem contains circuitry that converts the data
carrying signals from your computer to signals that can
travel over various communications channels. The kind of
modem you use depends on whether your ISP supplies
dial-up, cable, satellite, or DSL Internet service.

The Internet backbone includes high

speed routers and highspeed fiber-optic
links. Parts of the backbone maintained
by different communications companies
are connected at network access points
(NAPs).
 Your computer can connect to the
Internet as a standalone device or part
of a LAN. Your data first travels to your
ISP, then to an NSP and out over the
Internet backbone.

How significant is TCP/IP?

TCP/IP is the primary protocol suite responsible for message transmission on the Internet. A protocol suite is a
combination of protocols that work together. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) breaks a message or file into
packets. IP (Internet Protocol) is responsible for addressing packets so that they can be routed to their destination.

A packet is a parcel of data that is sent across a computer network. Each packet contains the address of its sender, the
destination address, a sequence number, and some data.

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How do IP addresses work on the Internet?
A computer can have a permanently assigned static IP address or a temporarily assigned dynamic IP address. As a
general rule, computers on the Internet that act as servers use static IP addresses. Typically, ISPs, Web sites, Web
hosting services, and e-mail servers that always need to be found at the same address require static IP addresses. Most
other Internet users have dynamic IP addresses.

CONNECTION SPEED

How fast is the Internet?

Data travels over the Internet at an incredible speed. The elapsed time for data to make a round trip from point A to
point B and back to point A is referred to as latency.

Can I measure speed and latency?

You can run speed tests by linking to Internet-based utilities. You can also use a local Internet utility called Ping
(Packet Internet Groper), which sends a signal to a specific Internet address and waits for a reply. Upstream speed is
the rate of data that is transmitted from your computer to the Internet. Downstream speed is the rate of data arriving at
your computer.

What are my connection options?

Fixed Internet access links your computer to an ISP from a stationary point, such as a wall socket or roof-mounted
antenna. Portable Internet access allows you to easily move your access device, as in the case of vehicle-mounted
satellite dishes that can be deployed when the vehicle is parked. Mobile Internet access allows you to use the Internet as
you are on the go, such as using a cell phone to collect your e-mail while you are traveling by train.

WEB

One of the Internet’s most captivating attractions, the Web (short for World Wide Web) is a collection of document, image,
video, and sound files that can be linked and accessed over the Internet using a protocol called HTTP (Hypertext Transfer
Protocol).

A Web site typically contains a collection of related information organized and formatted so it can be accessed. A Web server is
an Internet-based computer that accepts requests from browsers. A Web page is the product or output of one or more Web-based
files displayed in a format similar to a page in a book.

A Web browser (usually simply referred to as a browser) is client software that displays Web page elements and handles links
between pages. When using a browser, you can access a Web page by clicking a hypertext link. Every Web page has a unique
address called a URL (Uniform Resource Locator).
E-MAIL

An e -mail account provides access to a storage area, or mailbox, supplied by an e-mail provider, such as an ISP. Each mailbox
has a unique address, which typically consists of a user ID, an @ symbol, and the name of the computer that maintains the
mailbox.

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An e-mail message is a document that is
composed on a computer and remains in
digital, or electronic, form so that it can be
transmitted to another computer. A
message header includes the recipient’s e
mail address and message subject.

Any file that travels with an e-mail message

is called an e-mail attachment. A
conversion process called MIME (Multi
Purpose Internet Mail Extensions) provides a
clever way of disguising digital photos,
sounds, and other media as plain ASCII
code that can travel over the Internet as e
mail attachments.

When you compose an e-mail message, you can begin by

entering the address of one or more recipients and the subject
of the message. You can also specify one or more files to
attach to the message. The body of the e-mail message
contains the message itself. When the message is sent, your
e-mail software adds the date and your e-mail address to identify you as the sender.

NETIQUETTE

Netiquette is online jargon for Internet etiquette. It is a series of customs or guidelines for maintaining civilized and effective
communications in online discussions and e-mail exchanges.

🗹 Put a meaningful title on the subject line. 🗹 Use the Bcc function for group mailings. 🗹
🗹 Use uppercase and lowercase letters. 🗹 Check Don’t send replies to all recipients. 🗹 Don’t send
spelling. huge attachments. 🗹 Explain all attachments.
🗹 Be careful what you send. 🗹 Stay alert for viruses.
🗹 Be polite. 🗹 Notify recipients of viruses.
🗹 Be cautious when using sarcasm and humor.

E-MAIL TECHNOLOGY
🗹 Use smileys and text messaging shorthand
cautiously.
An e-mail system is the equipment and software that carries and manipulates e-mail messages. It includes
computers and software called e-mail servers that sort, store, and route mail. E-mail is based on store-and
forward technology—a communications method in which data that cannot be sent directly to its destination is
temporarily stored until transmission is possible.

Three types of e-mail systems are widely used today: POP, IMAP, and Web-based mail. a. POP (Post Office
Protocol) temporarily stores new messages on an e-mail server. b. IMAP (Internet Messaging Access
Protocol) is similar to POP, except that you have the option of downloading your mail or leaving it
on the server.
c. Web-based e-mail keeps your mail at a Web site, where it can be accessed using a standard Web
browser

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