Chapter One

Why computers matter to you: becoming computer literate

Computer literate: means being familiar enough with computers

that you understand their capabilities
and limitations

Benefits of becoming computer literate:

Avoiding hackers and viruses

Protecting your privacy. (credit card info.)

Understanding the
real risks. (cookies vs firewall)

Using the Internet and the Web wisely. (finding good information)

Avoiding online annoyances (spam)

Being able to maintain, upgrade, and

troubleshoot your computer

Finally, becoming computer literate

means knowing which technologies are
on the horizon and how to integrate them
into your home setup when possible

Information
technology (IT) is a field of study focused
on managing and processing information
and the automatic retrieval of information.
Information technology includes computers, telecommunications, and software
deployment.

Jobs in the computing industry:

Retail: data mining the process of searching huge

amounts of data with the hope of finding a
pattern, Data mining is the art of
combining huge volumes
of raw data into views that
provide insight.

Register terminals: determine which products

are selling on a given day and in a specific
location.

Getting information from people and selling products to them,

Business: Data on the Go

How a MaxiCode sticker label, contains all the important
information about the package (class
of service, destination, etc.).

Bluetooth: works by transmitting radio waves to a terminal, the terminal then sends the data across a
wireless network where it is recorded in the UPS (company of example) database

Arts: Ink, Paints, and a Notebook

Creating websites to sell art, and creating new wats to sell new performances to audiences.

Using computer programs for art, adobe illustrator, photoshop, and corel painter

Using computers to make programs that create art

Video Game Design: A Long Way Down from Pac-Man

Requires complex understanding of game development software like 3ds Max

Education: Teaching and Learning

Teachers can give students virtual tours of museums around the world

Teachers need to be more tech savy than students and use programs to teach courses

Law Enforcement: Put Down that Mouse

Using computer software and equipment to solve crimes, such as facial recognition software, using
information databases

Computer forensics is a growing career path, where focus is on illegal actions on the internet

Dr. Paul Ekman created a program that recognizes small micro-expressions in the face to determine
emotions of an individual

Computers Migrate into the Living Room

Setting up a digital home means having an appropriate

computer and digital devices that are all connected to a home network.

Tv tuner: receiving channels of tv onto the computer

Blu-ray, DVD, and CD players and recorders

Network Adapter

Network

Internet ready digital television

OLED organic light emiting diode

Military Careers:
Universal remote Drive that Drone
The ASVAB (Armed
Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) exam is
a requirement for entry into the U.S. armed
services,

Using UAV’s unmanned aeriel vehicles, or drones

Agriculture: High-Tech Down on the Farm

Ranchers must look out form disease outbreaks, so they use RFID tags (radio frequency identification
tags), it’s a small microchip in the cows ears.

Cranberry growers have automated water pumps that keep the crop from freezing

Automotive Technology: Sensors and CPU’s

Environmental and governmental regulations are pushing manufacturers to create more fuel efficient cars.

Cars have more sensors now to determine amount of fuel to spray into cylinders, same with braking
systems

Medicine: Technologies of Today and Tomorrow

BrainGate software which translates thoughts into commands for robotic limb

Computer simulation of emergency experiences with mannequins

Replicating human body parts

Robot surgery

Medicine: The Chip Within

Combining biology and technology

VeriChip, chip that identifies a person by transmitting itself with radio waves

Hitachi has a u-chip

Science: Stimulating Reality

Tornado forecasting

Recreating ancient sites like pompei with scans

Sports Science: Compute Your Way to a Better Game

Using analyzing computer technology to increase athlete’s performance, such as golfing and swimming
where technique is everything

Nanotechnology: Careers Yet to Come

Nanoscience involves the

study of molecules and structures (called
nanostructures) that range in size from 1 to
100 nanometers.

Currently used for clothing to repel water, stains, and wrinkles

Psychology: You Should Smile…Now

Affective computing is computing

that relates to emotion or deliberately
tries to influence emotion.

One project to emerge is the emotional social

prosthesis (ESP) device developed by a
group at the MIT Media Lab. The ESP system
is targeted at helping people who have
autism.

Knowledge is Power

The discrepancy between the haves and have-

nots with regard
to computer technology is commonly referred
to as the digital divide.

Chapter Two: Looking at Computers, Understanding the Parts

Understanding Your Computer

Computers are data processing devices

1. It gathers data, or allows users to input

data.
2. It processes that data into information.
3. It outputs data and information.
4. It stores data and information.

What is the difference between data and information?

Data: is the representation of a fact, figure, or an idea. (can be a number word, pircutre, or sound)
(input)

Information: is data that has been organized or presented in a meaningful fashion. (output)

How do computers interact with data and information?

Computers gather data and create a finished display of useful information such as an id card.

Bits and Bytes: The Language of Computers

How do computers process data into information?

They use binary language which consists of 1 and 0s.

Each 1 and 0 is a binary, 8 bits make a byte

What else can bits and bytes by used for?

How does your computer process bits and bytes?

Hardware: any part of the computer that you can physically touch

Software: computer programs that allow the hardware components to perform different
tasks

Application software: set of programs that you can use on a computer to help you carry
out tasks such as writing a research paper

System software: the set of programs that enables the computer’s hardware devices and
application software to work together.

Operating system (OS): the program that controls the way in which your computer
system functions (monitor, mouse)

Your Computer’s Hardware

Are all computers the same?

Two types of basic designs of computers: portable and stationary

Portable: netbook, laptop, tablet pc (touch screen)

Stationary: desktop computer, includes peripheral devices (attachments: mouse,

keyboard), all-in-one with everything in the monitor)
 Are there other types of computers besides desktop and notebook computers?

 A mainframe: large expensive computer, that supports many users

simultaneously
 A supercomputer: specially designed to perform complex calculations extremely
rapidly, for only a few tasks but quickly
 An embedded computer: self-contained computer devices that have their own
programming and typically do not receive input from the user (ex. Car, thermostat)

Input Devices

Keyboard: enter typed data and commands

Mouse: enter user responses and commands

Microphones

Stylus: an input device that looks like a sketchpad and pen

Keyboards

Aren’t all keyboards the same?

Standard QWERTY keyboard, designed to slow typewriter people down to prevent mistakes

Dvorack keyboard: places common keys together as home keys

How do notebooks keyboards differ?

Sometimes fewer keys or they are arranged on top of other keys with the combination of a (fn)
button

What if the standard keyboard doesn’t work for me?

Flexible keyboards

Laser keyboards

How can I use my keyboard most efficiently?

Numeric keypad

Function keys (f1)

Control Key, performs shortcuts and special tasks

Windows key, specific to the windows operating system

What are some other features on keyboards?

Cursor control key/ arrow key

Insert key, when off it overwrites

Are all conventional keyboards connected to the computer via wires?

Wireless technology uses radio frequency (RF)

Mice and Other Pointing Devices

Optical mouse, uses laser doesn’t need mouse pad

Trackball mouse, ball on the top

Do notebook computers include a mouse?

They have a touch pad, track point device

Are there wireless mice?

Yup

What else can I do with my mouse?

Magnifier

Customizable buttons

Web search (highlight stuff and search it online)

File storage

What other input devices are used with games?

Touch Screens

How else can I input data and commands?

Image Input

How can I input digital images into my computer?

How do I capture live video from my computer?

A webcam

What is ethical computing?

Ethical Computing Guidelines

1. Avoid causing harm to others when using computers.
2. Do not interfere with other people’s efforts at accomplishing work
with computers.
3. Resist the temptation to snoop in other people’s computer files.
4. Do not use computers to commit theft.
5. Agree not to use computers to promote lies.
6. Do not use software (or make illegal copies for others) without paying
the creator for it.
7. Avoid using other people’s computer resources without appropriate
authorization or proper compensation.
8. Do not claim other people’s intellectual output as your own.
9. Consider the social consequences of the products of your computer
labour.
10. Only use computers in ways that show consideration and respect
for others.

Sound Input

Why would I want to input sound to my computer?

What types of microphones are available?

Desktop microphones

Omnidirectional (sounds from everywhere), unidirectional microphones

Clip on/ lavlier microphones

Close-talk microphones (speaking with someone)

What input devices are available for people with disabilities?

Maltron keyboard (one hand)

Trackball

Head direction sensor

Output Devices

Output devices enable the sending of processed data out of the computer

Monitor/display

Printer

Monitors

What are the different types of monitors?

LCD (liquid crystal display) (flat-panel monitor)

Monitors no longer have cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors

Legacy technology stuff that is no longer popular

How do monitors work?

Through pixels, the small dots which are composed of three sub pixels that are red, blue, and
green.

LCD’s have a second layers, and newer televisions have yellow

Light shines through pixels that are moved by electric current and we see the desired colour

What factors affect the quality of an LCD monitor?

Aspect ratio: width to height proportion of the monitor 4:3

Screen resolution: clearness or sharpness of the image 1600X1200

Contrast Ratio: measure of the difference in the light intensity between the brightest white and
the darkest black. 400:1 and 1000:1 is preferable

Viewing angle: the measurement in degrees of how far to the side of the image you can move
before the image quality degrades to unacceptable levels. 150 degrees is usually
recommended.

Brightness: measured as candelas per square meter (cd/m2) or nits, brightness is a measure of
the greatest amount of light showing when the monitor is displaying pure white of 300cd/m2 or
greater is recommended

Response Time: ms. of how long it takes for pixel to change color, a quicker time produces a
more smooth image quality

Is a a bigger screen size always better?

Yes!

What other features should I look for in an LCD monitor?

Multiformat card reader, USB port

How do I show output to a large group of people?

Projector

Printers

What are the different types of printers?

Inkjet and laser

Impact printer that uses hammer to put ink on paper, the dot-matrix printer was the most
common

Today we have non-impact printers

What are the advantages of inkjet printers?

Inkjet printer most common in the home, they work by spraying tiny drops of ink onto the paper

Why would I want a laser?

Faster printing speed, and produce higher quality printouts

Laser printers uses laser beams and static electricity to deliver toner

What kind of printer can I take with me?

Portable printers

Are there wireless printers?

Wifi and BlueTooth printers

Wifi is quicker

Are there any other types of specialty printers?

All-in-one printer: combines the function of printer, scanner, copier, and fax

Plotter: produce large prints, and detailed images

Thermal printer: works by melting wax based ink onto ordinary paper, the process is called
thermal wax transfer printing, or direct thermal printing (used for receipt printing)

How do I select the best printer?

Speed: ppm 8-38

Resolution: image clarity, measured in dots per inch (dpi), the greater the better

Color output: Inkjet printer with four color printer (cyan, magenta, yellow and black), or 6 ink, or
just 2

Laser printers have 4 separate toner cartridges, and the toner is blended in various quantities to
produce the entre color spectrum

Use and cost of the printer:

Large volumes and sharing: black and white laser printer

Duty cycle: the number of printed pages the printer can reliably produce on a monthly basis. It’s
the manufacturers figure to how long the machine can run before it needs a rest, or what
percentage of time it’s supposed to be in use.

Cost of consumables

Consumer report magazines can help evaluate what the best printers are
Sound Output

What are the output devices for sound?

Speakers, surround sound speakers, sub-woofer (low base speaker), ear phones

Processing and Memory on the Motherboard

Motherboard includes the processor, memory

Motherboard is located in the system unit (tower)

What’s on a motherboard?

CPU (central processing unit), ROM and RAM cache, also houses room for expansion
cards/adaptor cards, that offer additional functionality

Expansion cards: sound card, video card, modem card, network interface card (NIC) (cable
internet), USB firewire ports

Memory

RAM random access memory: used for quickly taking and storing information, its therefore a
volatile storage location because all the information gets erased when the computer is shut off

Does the motherboard contain any other kinds of memory besides RAM?

ROM read only memory, has all the instructions the computer needs when it starts up, it is non-
volatile

Processing

What is CPU?

Central processing unit (brains)

How is processor speed measured?

Hz hertz, machine cycles per minute, the CPU decodes the instructions into something the
computer can understand, and then executes them and stores the results back into its memory

Older machines ran at megahertz (MHz), today they run at (GHz)

What else determines processor performance?

The number of cores a processor has 2,4,8

Besides the number of cores, are there other factors that determine processing power?

Cashe memory, front side bus (FSB), determines how fast data is exchanged between the CPU
and RAM
Storing Data and Information

Internal drive bays cannot be seen, it holds all permanently stored programs and data

external drive bays: can be seen and accessed such as cd/dvd drives

Hard Drives

Which storage device holds the most data?

The hard drive which is non-volatile storage device

Are all hard drives located inside the system?

No, external hard drives can be purchased

Optical Storage

What other kinds of storage devices are available?

Hard drives store their data on magnetized platters

Optical drives read cd’s dvd’s or blu-ray disk, they work by little pits being etched into the cd

Flash Storage

Flash drive/jump drive/ USB/ thumb drive

Flash memory card

Solid state drive (SSD) does not create noise, emit little heat, are faster and powerful, as they
don’t need any spinning platters or motors

Connecting peripherals to the computer

Port: place to attach a peripheral device

High-Speed and Data Transfer Ports

What is the most common way to connect devices to a computer?

USB universal serial bus port

What are the other types of ports?

Firewire, portable music players connect through this

Connectivity and Multimedia Ports

Which ports help me connect with other computers and the Internet?

Connectivity port: gives access to the internet, Ethernet port

Can connect the computer to a DSL (digital subscriber line), modem, or network

How do I connect monitors and multimedia devices?

VGA (video graphics array) port is the port to which CRT monitors connect

VGA ports

DVI (digital video interface)

S-Video (super video ports)

How do I connect my computer to TV’s and gaming consolers?

High definition multimedia interface (HDMI), carries both high definition and uncompressed
digital audio on one cable (DVI carry’s video signals)

Adding Ports: Expansion Cards and Hubs

What if I don’t have all the ports I need?

You can add them to open expansion card slots on the motherboard

What if there are no open slots on the motherboard when I can insert an expansion card?

An expansion hub can be added

Power Controls

What’s the best way to turn my computer on and off?

Cold boot: starting a computer in the morning

How do I power down a computer properly?

Shut down on the computer

Should I turn off my computer every time I’m done using it?

Not really, the computers today are more environmentally efficient

Can I “rest” my computer without turning it off completely?

Sleep and hibernate

Sleep mode: all documents remain in RAM

Hibernate: saves information to hard drive

What’s the restart option in Windows for?

Warm boot: restarting the system while it’s powered on

Setting it all up

Ergonomics: an applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so
that the people and things interact more efficiently and safely

Why is ergonomics important?

Carpel tunnel syndrome and tendonitis

How can I avoid injuring when I’m working at my computer?

Position your monitor correctly: 25 inches away from the eyes, and at eye level or 15 to 20
degrees below eye sight

Purchase an adjustable chair: feet are on the ground

Assume a proper position while typing: repetitive strain injury (RSI) caused by repetitive or
awkward movements of a part of the body

Take breaks from computer tasks: focus on an object at least 20 feet away for a little while

Ensure the lighting is adequate: eliminate glare

Is ergonomic important when using mobile devices?

Chapter 3:

Using the Internet:

Making the most of the Web’s resources

The Internet

Was created to respond to these two concerns: establishing a secure form of military
communications and creating a means by which all computers could communicate.

Who invented the Internet?

“internetworking” project called the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET)

So are the Web and the Internet the same thing?

The web is only one component of the internet

Did the same people who invented the internet invent the web?

Tim Berners-Lee created the web browser in 1989

How much has the Internet grown?

Explosive growth in mid-1990’s 1997 access was global

Communicating Through the Internet E-Mail and Other Technologies

E-mail

Why did the E-mail catch on so quickly?

Fast and convenient, reduced cost

Is e-mail private?

No it is open and the messages are archived for later use in a lawsuit or investigation

How do I write a good e-mail?

Being concise, avoiding text abbreviations, signature line

What do I need to send and receive e-mail?

Computer, internet connection, e-mail account

Are there different types of e-mail accounts?

E-mail clients: office outlook that act like a post office for different mail for different accounts

What are the advantages of a Web based e-mail account?

More versatile

Why would I need a client-based e-mail program?

Can access mail from many different email accounts

Instant Messaging

What is instant messaging?

Real time communication with others

Group Communication

What kind of online group communication exists?

Internet Relay Chat (IRC), used for chat in discussion rooms

Are there rules for group communications?

Netiquette

Flooding: spamming

Using all caps= shouting

Web 2.0 Technologies: Collaborating and Communicating Through the Internet

Web 2.0 evolved type of Web interactions between people, software, and data

What is social networking?

Friends and family communicate ideas, information

Is social networking just for fun?

Linkedin offers a more formal network

Are there precautions I should take with my social networking content?

Yes, there are hackers and others who distribute or misuse your information, and your content
reaches places it shouldn’t be

Weblogs (Blogs) and Video Logs (Vlogs)

What is a blog?

Easy to make, they are usually written by one author and several entries are listed on a page, it
is open to the public

A vlog is a personal journal that uses video as the primary content, can also contain text,
images, and audio

Why should I want to create a blog?

As personal scrapbook, or contain a particular topic such as movies

How do I create a blog?

Free blog hosting sites such as blogger.com or create your own website for a blog

Are there any problems with blogs?

Spam blogs (blogs) filled with fake articles and stolen text (tactic known as blog scraping)

Wikis

What are wikis?

A type of web site that allows users to change its content by adding, removing or editing the
content, they can be used to express thoughts and opinions about certain topics, it’s a
“common” opinion (ex. Google doc)

What are wikis used for?

Collaborative learning in online courses, modify just one document

How accurate is Web content that anyone can change?

Can be accurate or not, depending on the group who verify the information

Podcasts and Webcasts

What is a podcast?

A podcast is a clop of audio or video content that is broadcast over the Internet using
compressed audio and video files, they might include radio shows, audio books, magazines and
even educational programs

Broadcast is a combination of broadcasting and IPod (IPod because it’s the most popular PMP
portable media player)

So what makes podcasting different from just listening to an audio file on the computer
or PMP?

Podcasts come to you through syndication

While PMP you have to look for them

Podcasts are possible because of RSS technology

What is RSS?

Really Simple Syndication (RSS)

XML-based format facilitates the delivery of frequent content upgrades on Web pages

Made so that aggregators (programs that go out and grab the latest updates of Web material)
can find and download only the new content to your computer

Where can I find podcasts?

Newspapers, radio sites, tv news, iTunes, YouTube

Can I create my own podcast?

You need a computer, microphone, web cam for video podc, additional software, and creating
an RSS feed, and uploading it to the web.

What’s a webcast?

A webcast is a broadcast of audio or video content over the internet. It is a one-time event

Webcasts can include non-interactive content such as simulcasts of radio or TV broadcasts.

Web Entertainment: Multimedia and Beyond

Advanced audio coding (AAC)

Multimedia: anything that involves one or more forms of media in addition to text

What are streaming audio and video?

Streaming audio continuously feeds an audio file to your browser, its better than waiting to
download an entire file before using it

What kinds of games are played on the Web?

Multiplayer online games

Massive multiplayer online role-player games (MMORPG)

Do I need anything besides a browser to view or hear multimedia Web?

Plug-in: (or player) a special software program that allows you to use a certain media

Do I need to update players and plug-ins?

Yes, you’ll get notified

Are there any risks with using plug-ins?

Yes, with automatic downloading of plug-ins

Is there any way to get to multimedia Web content to load faster?

Yes, through a cache (temporary storage place) where website information is stored

Conducting Business over the Internet: E-commerce

E-commerce or electric commerce

Selling or advertising

Are there different types of e-commerce businesses?

Click and brick: stores physically and online at the same time (ex. Best buy)

Business to consumer (B2C)

Business to business (B2B)

Consumer to consumer (C2C) ex. Ebay

What are the most popular e-commerce activities?

Buying stuff…

E-commerce Safeguards

Just how safe are online transactions?

Companies hire security companies like VeriSign to create safe websites with https://

The s stand for secure socket layer

How else can I shop safely online?

Shop at well known, reputable sites

Avoid making online transactions when using public computers (they can record your key
strokes)

Pay by credit card, not debit card, credit cards have laws to protect the users

Check the return policy: print and save

Accessing the Web: Web Browsers

Web browser allows you to navigate the web

What are some common Web browsers?

Internet Explorer (IE)

Firefox

Safari

Google Chrome

What features do browsers offer?

Tabbed browsing, quick bar, popular websites

Getting Around the Web: URLs Hyperlinks, and Other Tools

URL: uniform resource locator

What do all the parts of the URL mean?

The protocol (set of rules) used to retrieve the specific document

Domain name is also host name

What’s the protocol?

HTTP: hypertext transfer protocol, it is the protocol that allows files to be transferred from a Web
Server

FTP: file transfer protocol, used to download files from the computer to a Web Server.

Ftp file server, http web server

What’s in a domain name?

Identifies the site’s host

Top level domain: the organization to which the host belongs to

What’s the information after the domain name that I sometimes see?
The subdirectory, it identifies each subpage that is visited

Hyperlinks and Beyond

What’s the best way to get around in a Web site?

Hyperlink: specially coded element that sends you to different pages

How do I return to a Web page I’ve already visited?

Breadcrumb trail: a list of pages within a Web site you’ve visited, you use the back and forward
buttons to navigate the trail

Favorites, Live Bookmarks, and Tagging

What’s the best way to mark a site so I can return to it later?

Favorites or bookmarks

What are live bookmarks?

Live bookmarks, the web page RSS feeds come to you, if you want updates in news, sprots,
etc.

What is social bookmarking?

Social bookmarking also known as tagging, allows you to store, organize, and manage
bookmarks or tags of Web pages

Searching the Web Effectively

Use a search engine, a program that searches the web for keywords

Subject directory can also be used, which is a structured outline of a Web’s sites organized by
topics and subtopics

Search Engines

How do search engines work?

First part is a spider; it collects data on the Web with the keywords

Second part is the indexer program which organizes the data into a large database

Third part is the search engine software, it pulls out relevant data according to your searches

The results appear as hits

Why don’t I get the same results from all search engines?

Each search engine uses a unique formula/algorithm to create the results

Some rank their results on frequency of the appearance of the word

Can I use a search engine to search for images and videos?

Youtube

How can I refine my searches for better results?

Originally Boolean operators were needed to help redefine search (are words such as AND
NOT OR that describe the relationship between keywords in a search)

You can narrow your search

Are there other helpful search strategies?

Search for a phrase (in quotes)

Search within a specific Web site: type a keyword then site:

Use a wild card: “*” for unknown terms

How else can I customize my searches?

Clicking the “more” hyperlink

Going on the different types of searches that Google offers

Evaluating Web Sites

How can I make sure a Web site is appropriate use for research?

 Authority: who published it?

 Bias: most sites use a biased point of view to sell stuff, so use multiple sources
 Relevance: is the information current
 Audience: ensure the content, tone, and style match your needs
 Links: are the links available and appropriate?

The Internet and how it Works

How does the Internet work?

A computer is either a client (asks for data), or a server (a computer that receives requests and
returns data)

This is a client/server network

How do computers talk to each other?

Main pathways of the internet travel are called the internet backbones

How does the data get sent to the correct computer?

Each time the computer connects to the internet it is assigned a unique identification number, its
called an Internet Protocol Address or IP address.
The IP address is commonly a dotted quad or dotted decimal with its four numbers

Connecting to the Internet

Dial-up internet is becoming legacy technology

Broadband Connections

What is broadband?

Often refers to as “high speed internet”

What types of broadband are available?

Digital subscriber line (DSL), standard phone line

Cable, which uses the television’s cable

Fiber-optic service uses glass cables

Satellite broadband

How does cable work?

Cable is a one way service for the tv, in order for the internet to work

cable companies must upgrade their networks with two-way data transmission capabilities

How does DSL work?

Uses phone lines, and allows for phone and data transmission to share the same line

Phone lines are made of pairs of twister copper wires known as twister pair wiring

Three cables, one for phone, and the other 2 for internet in receiving and sending data

Can anyone with a phone line have DSL?

Phone companies must upgrade their wiring to the new technology

What are the limitations to DSL and cable?

DSL signals are sensitive to distance

Cable services are slower when many users are using it, as it packs up the cable traffic

How does fiber-optic service work?

Strands of optically pure glass or plastic which are arranged in bundles called optic cables and
transmit data with light which makes the speed so fast. The computer reads the light through
electrical pulses
What special equipment do I need to hook up to broadband?

It require a modem, it translates the broadband signal into digital data and back again

Sometimes DSL filters are needed to reduce interference caused when the DSL equipment
shares the same lines as the standard phone line

The modem is connected to a network interface card (NIC) in the computer

What options exist when cable and DSL are not available?

Satellite internet, which requires a satellite dish

Wireless

Why is wireless Internet access necessary?

Because… how else am I going to pwn noobs on MW2!

How does one access the Internet wirelessly?

Need a Wi-Fi spot (wireless fidelity)

Aircard/ cellular modems, placed in Express card slot, which allows the user to have wireless
internet access with notebooks and netbooks

What are concerns with wireless?

Most hotspots are unsecure, don’t use credit card

Dial-Up Connections
How does dial-up connection work?

Needs a phone line or modem (modulate/demodulate)

A dial-up modem converts (modulates) the digital signals the computer understands and also
has to translate (demodulate) the received information

What are the advantages and disadvantages of dial-up?

Its cheap, but its slower than walking to the library

Choose the right internet connection option

How do I choose which Internet connection option is best for me?

Speed: data transfer rate (speed at which data travels between computers), also known as
connection speed

The future of the Internet

More bandwidth!

Large scale networking program and Internet2

What are the large scale networking and internet2 programs?

LSN: looking at increasing speeds of the internet

Internet2: looks at the new possibilities of the internet

How else will the Internet become a more integral part of our lives?
Four: Application Software

The nuts and bolts of software

What is software?

Application software: anything but system software

System software: helps run the computer

Productivity Software for Home and Office

Productivity software: word, excel, PowerPoint, personal information management

programs (PIM)

Word Processing Software

What is the best software to use to create general documents?

Microsoft office, and corel

Are there free or more affordable alternatives?

Open source software programs

Proprietary software

How do I control the way my documents look?

What special tools do word processing programs have?

Spreadsheet software

Why would I need to use spreadsheet software?

How do I use spreadsheet software?

Text

Values

Formulas

Functions
What kinds of graphs and charts can I create with spreadsheet software?

Any…

Are spreadsheets used for anything besides a financial analysis?

Presentation Software

What software do I use to create presentations?

Presentation software

How do I create a presentation?

Database Software

How can I use database software?

Oracle, mysql, Microsoft access

How do you benefit when businesses use database software?

Purchase history

Note Taking Software

Is there software to help students with note taking?

One note

Are there free or portable note taking applications?

Evernote

Personal Information Manager (PIM) Software

What applications should I use to manage my time, contact lists, and tasks?

Microsoft outlook

Are there web-based PIM programs?

Yup on google, yahoo

Productivity Software Features

What tools can I help me work more efficiently with productivity software?

A wizard: a guide that walks you through the steps necessary to complete a
complicated task

A template: a predesigned form

Macro: small program that groups a series of commands, so that they will run as a
single command

Integrated Software Applications

Whats an integreated software application?

It is a single software program that incorporates the most commonly used tools of many
productivity software programs into a single integrated program

Ex. Microsoft works

Why would I use an integrated software application instead of individual stand-

alone programs?

Less expensive, just basic necessities

Software Suites

Whats a software suite?

Group of software programs

Which applications do productivity software suites contain?

Word, spreadsheet, powerpoint, PIM

What are the advantages of software suites?

Cheaper, same company for each product

Personal Financial Software

What software can I use to prepare my taxes?

Tax preparation software, ex. Turbotax, intuit

Which software can I use to help keep track of my personal finances?

Financial planning software, Microsoft money

Media Software for Home

Multimedia software includes image, video, and audio editing software

Digital Image Editing Software

What can I do with a digital image that I can’t do with a photograph?

post on the web with picasa

What software can I use to edit my photos?

Image editing software, adobe Photoshop and Corel paint shop

Can nonprofessional use image editing software?

yes, the programs are geared towards home owners, and casualists

Digital Audio Software

Why would I have digital audio files on my computer?

Podcasts, bought

Why are MP3 files so popular?

Standard for audio file compression

Stands for MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3

MP3 Recordings

CD ripping

CD burning

Encoding and decoding (done by encoders)

Format conversion

Can I edit audio files?

Audio editing software, such as audacity

Digital Video Editing Software

What kind of software do I need to edit my digital videos?

Digital editing software

Premiere pro, final cut pro

Does video editing software support all kinds of video files?

AVCHD (advanced video coding high definition)

In what format are the videos I watch on my portable media player?

MP4- MPEG-4

Media Management Software

How do I manage the audio, video, and image files on my system?

Itunes, winamp

Are there Web-based programs available to edit, share, and store my photos?

Snapfish.com, shuttfly.com, flicker.com

Software Fun for Home

Entertainment software, for getting fun!

Virtual reality programs: turn artificial environments into a realistic experience

Gaming Software

Do I need special equipment to run entertainment software?

Special requirements, and controllers

How do I tell what computer games are appropriate for a certain user?

Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), has two parts: rating symbol, age
appropriateness, and content descriptors, E, T,,M,AO

Can I make video games?

Adobe flash, and RPG maker

Educational Software

What kinds of educational applications are there?

What types of programs are available to train you to use software or special
machines?

Simulation programs, control as if it was real

They can help prevent real life errors

Do I need special software to take courses online?

Course management software

Drawing Software

What kind of software should I use for simple illustrations?

Illustration software

Are there different types of drawing software?

Adobe illustrator is professional

Microsoft Visio for engineers

Business Software for Home and Office

Home Business Software

Which programs are good for small business owners?

Accounting software, ex. Peachtree QuickBooks

What software can I use to lay out and design newsletter and other publications?

Desktop publishing software (DPS), QuarkXPress, adobe InDesign

What tools do desktop publishing programs include?

Everything for making a good publication

What software do I use to create a Web page?

Web page authoring software, which doesn’t need HTML knowledge

Dreamweaves, Microsoft Expression

Are there other ways to create Web pages?

Just convert something into a webpage if it was only one file, convert to a Web
compatible format

Large Business Software

What software do businesses use for planning and management?

Palo Alto Software’ Business Plan Pro and Marketing Plan Pro helps users write
strategic and development plans for general business and marketing needs

Project management software, Microsoft project

Customer relationships management (CRM) software, includes programs that get in
touch and follow up with clients

GoldMine, and FrontRange Solutions

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system: lets business consolidate multiple systems
into one and improve coordination of these business areas across multiple departments.

They help control many “back office” operations. Oracle and SAP

What software helps business travelers?

Mapping programs such as DeLorme Street Atlas USA and Microsoft Street and Tips

Online mapping service is what people go to now, work with GPS system

Is mapping software just used to assist with travel?

Many companies use a GIS (geographical information system) to assist with mapping,
managing, analyzing, and displaying data, in a spatial form

What software is used with e-commerce?

IBM’s Websphere, GoEmerchant, and ProStores business offer bundled Web Site
creation and hosting services, shopping cart setup, and credit card processing services

Specialized Business Software

Vertical market software: software designed for a specific industry

Ex. Construction uses MasterBuilder

What software is used to make 3D models?

Computer-aided design (CAD), used by engineers and architects

Autodesk is for graphic animation

Getting Help with Software

Where can I find help while I’m working with an application?

Online help and support, user’s manual,

Integrated help means that the documentation for the product is built directyly into the
software

Where do I go for tutorials and training on an application?

Malektips.com

Buying software

Software Liscenses

Don’t I own the software I buy?

You can’t lend it out…

What is a software license?

Software license is an agreement between the user and the software company

Do you always buy just one license?

You can “extend” the licence to other computers

Multiuser licenses limit the user amount

Concurrent licenses limit the number of people accessing the software at any given time
Does open source software require a license?

Copyleft: modified open source software under that terms as the original software, it
must be distributed as free software

Pre-Installed Software

What application software comes with my computer?

Basic stuff

Are there any problems associated with pre-installed software?

Trials expire, and they use up memory, and processing power, reduce battery power

Bloatware: pre-installed software

Can I get the manufacturer to uninstall or install software before shipping?

Dell had an easy removal tool

If my computer crashes, can I get the pre-installed software back?

Make a restore disk after you buy a computer

Web-based Applications

Does all application software require installation on my computer?

Software as a Service (SaaS), also known as Web-based applications, the user uses
the program online

What kinds of Web-based applications are available?

Microsoft web based apps

Good docs
What advantages do Web-based applications have?

Collarboration, portability

Is all Web-based software free?

No, of course not!

Discounted Software

Is it possible to buy software at a discount?

Yes, for short periods of time, and so that the developer can get increased awareness
of the product

Can I buy used software?

Online auctions, make sure its legal

Can I buy software directly from the Internet?

Yes ffs!

Freeware and Shareware

Can I get software for free legally?

Freeware: any copyrighted software that you can use for free

Opensource: programs are free to use on the condition that any changes you make to
improve the source code must be distributed for free

Can I try new software before it is released?

Beta versions: versions under development

Trials

Is it still freeware if I’m asked to pay for the program after using it a while?

Known as shareware: distributed for free then must be bought

Can shareware programmers make me pay for their shareware once I have it?

No it stops working

Are there risks associated with installing beta versions, freeware, and shareware
or downloading them from the Internet?

Yes beta versions are buggy and can screw your computer

Software Versions and System Requirements

What do the numbers after software names indicate?

Version of the program

When is it worth buying a newer version?

Depends how often you use it, and whether the upgrade is cost effective

If I have an older version of software and someone sends me files from a newer
version, can I still open them?

Called backward compatible, but most programs are not forward compatible

How do I know whether the software I buy will work on my computer?

System requirements: specify the minimum recommended standards for the operating
system and other requirements
Installing Uninstalling, and Starting Software

How do I install software

Wizard

How is the installation process different from software I download from the web?

No disk…

What do I do if the downloaded program doesn’t install by itself?

Look for a .exe icon

What’s the difference between a custom installation and full installation?

Full installation is to the designated disk location

Custom installation: wherever you want to put it

Can I just delete a program to uninstall it?

Look for uninstall button…

Is there a best way to start an application?

Shortcut

Taskbar

Or Start menu bar

 Five: Using System Software

Basic System Software

CPU: central processing unit

Utility program: performs many of the general housekeeping tasks for the computer

Do all computers have operating systems?

Are all operating systems alike?

Microsoft Disk Operating System (MS-DOS)

Multitask

Multiuser

Types of Operating Systems

Real-Time Operating Systems

Why do machines with built-in computers need an operating system?

Real time operating system (RTOS): machines that are required to do a series of
specific tasks in an exact amount of time

Operating systems are also referred to as embedded systems

RTOS are sued for the military, science, and aerospace industries

Where else are RTOSs in use today?

Fuel injection cards, printers, medical devices

What kind of operating system controls a simple cell phone?

They have their own to make simple tasks one at a time

Operating Systems for Networks, Servers, and Mainframes

What kind of operating system do networks use?

Multiuser operating system (aka networking operating system)

Server: the computer on a network that manages network resources

What is UNIX?

Unix is a multiuser multitask operating system used as a network operating system,

primarily with mainframes, developed by Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie of AT&T in
1969

What other kinds of computers require a multiuser operating system?

Mainframe computers: used by large corporations, it is responsible for storing,

managing and simultaneously processing data from all users

Mainframe is under multiuser category

Supercomputers also use multiuser operating systems

Operating Systems for Mobile Devices

What kind of operating system do smartphones use?

Symbian is most popular, Android

Do Gaming consoles and personal media players require an operating system?

The systems programs aka firmware which includes the programs

Operating Systems for Personal Computers

What is the Microsoft Windows operating system?

MSDOS-Windows 95, XP, Windows 7

What is the difference between the various editions of Windows 7 operating

systems?

Home, Professional, Ultimate

32-bit for versions with up to 4GB

64-bit more than 4 GB

What is the Mac Operating System?

MacOS

Does it matter what operating system is on my computer?

Computer’s platform: the combination of operating system and processor

Can I have more than one operating system on my computer?

Just separate the harddrive into different sections, known as partitions

What is Linux?

Linux is open source operating system, its based on the central programming code with
the rest from GNU

Made by Linus Torvals in 1991

Where else is Linux used?

Android, MeeGo

Where can I get Linux?

Distributors such as Ubuntu, Fedora, Suse, Debian GNU/Linux

What the operating system does

Coordinates flow of data: provides a way for the user to interact with the computer,
manages processor/CPU, manages memory/storate, systems hardware, and peripheral
devices

The User Interface

How does the operating system control how I interact with my computer?

User interface

DOS had a command driven interface

Later a menu driven interface was used

What kind of interface do operating systems use today?

Graphical user interface (GUI)

Processor Management

Why does the operating system need to manage the processor?

The OS arranges the execution of all the activities in a system

How exactly does the operating system coordinate all the activites?

Controls the timing of events the processor works on

When an action is asked, the OS creates a unique signal called an interrupt (each
device has its own interrupt)

Interrupt handler, a special numerical code that prioritizes the requests

The interrupt table is in the RAM, which the OS does peemptive multitasking by
performing tasks with higher assigned priority first

Ex. When a printer needs to print something the OS puts a “memo” in the RAM called a
stack. The memo is what the computer was doing before it started to work on the printer
request

What happens if there is more than one document waiting to be printed?

OS puts the requests in another area called the buffer until the spooler a program that
helps coordinate all print jobs currently being sent to the printer

Memory and Storage Management

Why does the operating system have to manage the computer’s memory?
It needs to control the amount of space in the RAM so that it can make sure it doesn’t
get filled up, and so that it can delete older requests

Does the amount of RAM on a system control the type of OS I get?

Yes, the different 32bit 64bit versions

Can my system ever run out of RAM?

Different versions of OS which require more RAM such as the more robust versions of
windows

What happens if my computer runs out of RAM?

Uses virtual memory,

Some of the RAM data is temporarily stored in the area of the hard drive called the
swap file/page file, this swapping process is known as paging

Can I ever run out of virtual memory?

Excessive paging is called thrashing, increase more RAM to stop this

How does the operating system manage storage?

Hardware and Peripheral Device Management

How does the operating system manage the hardware and peripheral devices?
Each program has a device driver that facilitates communication between the hardware
device and the operating system

Do I always need to install drivers?

Devices that are included in Windows are called “Plug and Play” , where the computer
automatically recognizes the device

What happens if the device is not Plug_and_play (PnP?

Install with a disk, download

Can I damage my system by installing a device?

Programs may become unstable (stop responding), fixed with Windows with its Roll
Back Driver that removes a newly installed driver and replaces it with the last one that
worked

Software Application Coordination

How does the operating system help application software run on the computer?

With application programming interface (API), that application software needs in order
to interact with the OS, ex. Direct X for multimedia enhancement

What are the advantages of using APIs?

Programmers only need to refer to the API code blocks, and the program is very similar
to other ones which make it easy to incorporate

The Boot Process: Starting Your Computer

Boot process (start-up process) to load the operating system into the RAM, boot from
bootstrap (loads a small program used to start a larger program
What are the steps involved in the boot process?

How can I tell if my computer is entering the boot process?

Windows makes sounds, Mac has a nice logo

Step 1: Activating BIOS

What’s the first thing that happens after I turn on my computer?

The CPU activates the basic input/output system (BIOS), OS onto the RAM

Step 2: Performing Power-ON Self Test

How does the computer determine whether the hardware is working properly?

Makes sure everything is attached, the process is called power-on-self-test or POST,

then compares its findings with the information in CMOS (complementary metal-oxide
semiconductor), it uses almost no power, if everything matches the boot process
continues, if not CMOS will detect it and the computer is alerted

Step 3: Loading the operating system

How does the operating system get loaded into RAM?

The BIOS goes through a list of devices in its search for the drive that contains the
system files (main files of the OS), when located it is sent into RAM, once the process is
finished the kernel (supervior program) is loaded, it manages everything else, the kernel
is the memory resident (it stays in the RAM the whole time), less critical parts don’t stay
on the RAM and so called non-resident.

Step 4: Checking further configurations and customizations

When are the other components and configurations of the system checked?

CMOS checks the stuff, the registry (contains all the different configurations used by the
OS and by other applications

Why do I sometimes need to enter a login name and password at the end of the
boot process?

To prove authentication for the user to enter the system

How do I know if the boot process is successful?

The restored desktop

Handling Errors in the Boot Process

What should I do if my computer doesn’t boot properly?

Reinstall the program

What is Safe mode?

Safe mode is a special diagnostic mode designed for troubleshooting errors

Only essential devices function

In safe mode you can use the Device Manager which has the Last Known Good
Configuration

Try system restore

What should I do if my keyboard or another device doesn’t work after I boot my

computer?

Boot, patch

The desktop and windows features

What are the main features of the Windows desktop and Start menu?

Skip skip skip

Organizing Your Computer: File Management

File management: which entails providing organizational structure to the computer’s

contents

Directory: structure that includes files, folders, libraries, and drives

Organizing Your Files

File Compression Utilities

What is file compression?

File compression utility is a program that takes out redundancies in a file to reduce the
file size

Winzip and StuffIt for Mac

How does file compression work?

They look for repeated patterns of letters and replace these patterns with a shorter
placeholder, placeholder are catalogued and stored temporarily in a file called the
dictionary

How effective are file compression programs?

Varies on the type and size of the file, and the compression method used

Audio files get rid of sounds that he human ear can’t hear

Picture files get rid of the pixels that you couldn’t see anyways

How do I decompress a file I’ve compressed?

Use the same program that you used to compress

System Mainenance Utilities

Are there any utilities that make my system work faster?

Disk cleanup: a windows utility that cleans, or removes unnecessary files for the hard
drive

How can I control which files Disk Cleanup deletes?

Check off the different cleaning areas

What else can I do if my system runs slowly?

Disk defragmenter: regroups related prices of files on the hard drive, therebuy allowing
the OS to work more efficiently

Macs don’t need as they run more efficiently already, but the program IDefrag can be
used

How do I diagnose potential errors or damage on my storage devices?

Error-checking: aka scandisk is a windows utility that checks for lost files and fragments
as well as physical errors on your hard drive

Lost files and fragments of files are referenced on the file allocation table or FAT to files
that no longer exist of have been moved

Physical errors on the drive occur when the mechanism that reads the hard drive’s data
can no longer determine whether the area holds a 1 or 0, these are called bad sectors

Where can I find Error-checking?

Properties of a file

How can I check on a program that has stopped running?

Use the task manager utility, exist it if non-responsive

Problem Reports and Dr. Watson are programs that save logs when errors occur so that
the report can be sent to professional support

System Restore and Backup Utilities

Is there an undo command for the system?

System Restore: allows for a role back to a specific data with system settings

How does the computer remember its previous settings?

Every time the computer starts or a new application installation Windows automatically
creates a system restore point
How can I protect my data in the event something malfunctions in my system?

Backup and Restore utility, which copies things to a disk or storage device

Mac has Time Machine, and Time Capsules

System repair disc, give you options for repairing the system on system boot up

The Task Scheduler Utility

How can I remember to perform all these maintenance procedures?

Task Scheduler Utility, allows for the schedule tasks to run automatically at
predetermined time, with no additional action necessary on your part.

Accessibility Utilities

Are there utilities designed for users with special needs?

Ease of access centre, on screen computer etc…

High contrast: adjust color scheme setting and contrast between text and background

Magnifier: displays magnified portion of the screen

Narrator: basic speech program

On-screen keyboard: keyboard on the screen

Windows speech recognition: dictate text and control computer by voice

f i ve
fi v e
summary
summary
chapter

user interface (GUI). Unlike the commandand

menu-driven interfaces used earlier,

GUIs display graphics and use the pointand-

click technology of the mouse and cursor,

making the OS more user friendly.

Common features of GUIs include windows,

menus, and icons.

5. How does the operating system help

manage resources such as the

processor, memory, storage,

hardware, and peripheral devices?

When the OS allows you to perform more

than one task at a time, it is multitasking. To

provide for seamless multitasking, the OS

controls the timing of events the processor

works on.

As the OS coordinates the activities of the

processor, it uses RAM as a temporary

storage area for instructions and data the

processor needs. The OS is therefore responsible

for coordinating the space allocations

in RAM to ensure that there is enough space

for the waiting instructions and data. If

there isn’t sufficient space in RAM for all the

data and instructions, then the OS allocates

the least necessary files to temporary storage

on the hard drive, called virtual memory.

The OS manages storage by providing a

file-management system that keeps track

of the names and locations of files and

programs. Programs called device drivers

facilitate communication between devices

attached to the computer and the OS. Device

drivers translate the specialized commands

of devices to commands that the OS can understand

and vice versa, enabling the OS to

communicate with every device in the computer

system. Device drivers for common

devices are included in the OS software,

whereas other devices come with a device

driver that you must install or download

off the Web.

6. How does the operating system

interact with application software?

All software applications need to interact

with the CPU. For programs to work with

the CPU, they must contain code that the

CPU recognizes. Rather than having the

same blocks of code appear in each application,

the OS includes the blocks of code to

1. What software is included in system

software?

System software is the set of software programs

that helps run the computer and

coordinates instructions between application

software and hardware devices. It

consists of the operating system (OS) and

utility programs. The OS controls how

your computer system functions. Utility

programs are programs that perform general

housekeeping tasks for the computer,

such as system maintenance and file

compression.

2. What are the different kinds of

operating systems?

Operating systems can be classified into four

categories. Real-time operating systems

(RTOSs) require no user intervention. They

are designed for systems with a specific purpose

and response time (such as robotic

machinery). Smartphones have their own

specific operating systems, the latest of

which allow the user to multitask. Current

operating systems for desktops, notebooks,

and netbooks have multitasking capabilities,

as well as networking capabilities.

3. What are the most common operating

systems?

Microsoft Windows is the most popular OS.

It has evolved into a powerful multiuser

operating system. The most recent release

is Windows 7. Another popular OS is the

Mac OS, which is designed to work on

Apple computers. Apple’s most recent

release, Mac OS X Snow Leopard, is based

on the UNIX operating system. There are

various versions of UNIX on the market,

although UNIX is most often used on networks.

Linux is an open source OS based

on UNIX and designed primarily for use on

personal computers, although it is often

found as the operating system on servers.

4. How does the operating system

provide a means for users to interact

with the computer?

The operating system provides a user interface

that enables users to interact with the

computer. Most OSs today use a graphical

242 Chapter 5 Using System Software: The Operating System, Utility Programs, and File Management

which software applications refer. These

blocks of code are called application programming

interfaces (APIs).

7. How does the operating system help

the computer start up?

When you start your computer, it runs

through a special process called the boot

process. The boot process consists of four

basic steps: (1) The basic input/output system

(BIOS) is activated when the user powers

on the CPU. (2) In the POST check, the

BIOS verifies that all attached devices are in

place. (3) The operating system is loaded

into RAM. (4) Configuration and customization

settings are checked.

8. What are the main desktop and

windows features?

The desktop provides your first interaction

with the OS and is the first image you see on

your monitor once the system has booted

up. It provides you with access to your computer’s

files, folders, and commonly used

tools and applications. Windows are the rectangular

panes on your screen that display

applications running on your system. Common

features of windows include toolbars,

scrollbars, and minimize, maximize and

restore, and close buttons.

summary
9. How does the operating system help

me keep my computer organized?

The OS allows you to organize the contents

of your computer in a hierarchical structure

of directories that includes files, folders,

libraries, and drives. Windows Explorer

helps you manage your files and folders by

showing the location and contents of every

drive, folder, and file on your computer.

Creating folders is the key to organizing

files because folders keep related documents

together. Following naming conventions

and using proper file extensions are also

important aspects of file management.

10. What utility programs are included

in system software, and what do

they do?

Some utility programs are incorporated

into the OS; others are sold as stand-alone

off-the-shelf programs. Common Windows

utilities include those that enable you to

adjust your display, add or remove programs,

compress files, defragment your

hard drive, clean unnecessary files off

your system, check for lost files and errors,

restore your system to an earlier setting,

back up your files, schedule automatic

tasks, and check on programs that have

stopped running.

243

Multiple Choice
1. Which is not an example of a smartphone

operating system?

a. Symbian c. Snow Leopard

b. Android d. webOS

2. Which OS does not have a user

interface that incorporates point-andclick

technology?

a. Windows 7 c. Linux

b. MS-DOS d. Mac OSX

3. Which is the correct order of the boot

process?

a. Check settings, load BOS into

RAM, activate BIOS, conduct POST

b. Load OS into RAM, check

settings, conduct POST, activate

BIOS

c. Activate BIOS, conduct POST,

load OS into RAM, check settings

d. Conduct POST, load OS into RAM,

activate BIOS, check settings

4. You can determine the location of a

file by its

a. name. c. extension.

b. path. d. type.

5. Which is not a function of the

operating system?

a. Providing a means for the user to

interact with the computer

b. Enabling the processor to handle

multiple operations, seemingly at

the same time

c. Carefully shutting the system

down when RAM limits have

been reached

d. Facilitating installation of

peripheral devices with the

inclusion of drivers

6. The term that defines excessive

swapping of files between RAM and

virtual memory is:

a. thrashing.

b. multitasking.

c. caching.
d. paging.

7. Which term describes the pictures

that represent an object such as a

software application or a folder?

a. Icon c. Taskbar

b. Gadget d. Widget

8. Which statement about using APIs is

not true?

a. APIs prevent redundancies in

software code.

b. APIs make it easier for developers

to respond to OS changes.

c. APIs allow application software

to interact with the OS.

d. APIs make it possible to close

non-responding software and

restart the computer.

9. Which utility eliminates the

inefficiencies of the computer hard

drive?

a. System Restore

b. Disk Defragmenter

c. File Compression

d. Disk Cleanup

10. Which utility is not a system tools

utility?
a. System Restore

b. Disk Defragmenter

c. Windows Explorer

d. File Compression

True–False
___F_ 1. Only personal computers need some form of operating system software.

__F__ 2. Symbian OS is a common OS for netbooks.

_T___ 3. The type of processor helps to determine which OS a computer uses.

__T__ 4. Paging is the process of optimizing RAM storage by borrowing hard drive space.

___T_ 5. Windows 7 includes a compatibility feature that allows you to run software that is

not compatible with Windows 7.

Chapter 6: Understanding and Assessing Hardware

Is it the computer or me?

CPU’s improvement chart is Moore’s Law by Gordon Moore

Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) has been increasing by about 60 percent every year

What is your ideal computer?

But what if I don’t have a computer?

“ To determine
your ideal
system, consider
what you want to
be able to do
with your

computer. ”
How does a notebook compare to a desktop for value?
Desktops are cheaper and more reliable
Laptops are more expensive and not as reliable

How long will a note-book be useful to me?

Depends how easy it is to upgrade it
For notebooks external SATA (eSATA)
ExpressCard reader

Assessing Your Hardware: Evaluating Your System

Conduct a system evaluation look at the computer’s subsystems to see what they do and how
they perform

CPU subsystem
Memory subsystems (RAM)
Storage subsystems (hardrive)
Video subsystems
Audio subsystems
Ports

Evaluating the CPU Subsystem

Intels: i7, and three core power processor
And AMD processors: Athlon and Phenom

How does the CPU work?

Comprised of two units: control unit and the arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
Control unit coordinates the activities of all the other computer components
The ALO is responsible for performing all the arithmetic calculations, also makes comparison
decisions

CPU steps: Machine cycle

1. Fetches a piece of data or instruction from RAM
2. Decodes the instruction into usable computer language
3. Executes the instruction, and stores result in RAM
What makes one CPU different from another?
Processing power, how quickly it works (clock speed), and the amount of immediate access
memory of the CPU called cache memory

How will a multiple-core CPU help me?

Through hyper threading multiple machine cycles at the same time, multiple cores have different
machine cycle sections
How do I pick that fastest processor?

Cache memory, easier to process as the RAM is fast for the CPU

Level 1 cache is a block of memory that is built onto the cPU chip for storage of data or
commandes that have just been used

Level 2 cache: on the CPU chip, contains more storage area that area 1

Level 3 cache slower for the CPU to reach but larger in size

Front side bus (FSB) speed, connects the processor to the system memory, it’s a highway for
information and measured in MHz

Benchmarks: are measurements used to compare CPU performance

Why are there different CPU choices for notebooks and desktops?
Notebooks need to be more energy efficient

What CPU does my current computer have?

Check system properties

How can I tell whether my CPU is meeting my needs?

CPU usage: percentage of time that your CPU is working

Will improving the performance of the CPU be enough to improve my computer’s

performance?
It could a lot, but there might be a bottleneck in the processing because of insufficient RAM or
harddrive

Evaluating RAM: The Memory Subsystem

RAM: computers temporary storage space, volatile storage
ROM non-volatile
Why not use a hard drive to store the data and instructions?
RAM is a million times faster that’s why it’s measured in nanoseconds, hard drive takes 10
millisecounds

Are there different types of RAM?

RAM comes in the form of double data rate 2 (DDR2) memory modules
DDR3 are faster/higher end RAM
DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM (synchronous DRAM), are all found on older computers
RAM appears in the system on memory modules
Memory modules today are called: dual inline memory modules (DIMMs)

How can I tell how much RAM is installed in my computer and how it’s being used?
Memory modules are called physical memory
Look at system properties
Measured in GB
Windows 7 uses a memory management technique known as SuperFetch, which monitors
which applications you use the most and preloads them into your system memory so that they’ll
be ready to go
Windows 7 uses a memory management technique known as SuperFetch, which monitors
which applications you use the most and preloads them into your system so that they’ll be read
y to go
How much memory does the operating system need to run?
The OS uses kernel memory, approx. 555MB of the total RAM available

How much RAM do I need?

Depends what you’re tasks are, and if it requires a lot of programs functioning at the same time

Adding RAM
Is there a limit to how much RAM I can add to my computer?
Depends on number of slots on the motherboard

Is it difficult or expensive to add RAM?

Simple, and can be expensive at times

Evaluate the Store Subsystem

The Hard Drive
What makes the hard drive the most popular storage device?
It’s cheaper/GB, it has the most storage capacity, and access time is much quicker than
external ones.
Hard drive access time is measured in ms

Solid state drive (SSD) .1ms

Speed of data transfer is called data transfer rate

How is data stored on a hard drive?

A hard drive has several coated round, thin plates of metal stacked on a spindle, each plate is
called a platter. When data is saved to a hard drive platter, a pattern of magnetized spots is
created on the iron oxide coating of each platter.

How do I know how much storage capacity I need?

GB, TB

How do hard drives compare to speed?

Different types of hard drives
Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) which is also called parallel advanced technology
attachement (PATA), uses wide wires for connection
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (Serial ATA), uses much thinner cables, and can
transfer more quickly
SSD (solid state drive)

Do I want one huge drive or several smaller drives?

Depends what’s important to me: speed or security
You can purchase smaller drives and combine them using RAID technology, using more than
one drive in a system
RAID 1, and 0 are the most popular for consumer machines

RAID 0 where the write begins on the first drive and the second drive jumps ahead to do the
next block of data, RAID 0 fails if either one of the drives stops working, so RAID 0 is for those
concerned with performance as it writes twice as fast. 1TB offers 1TB of data

RAID 1 where the data written on one drive is perfectly mirrored onto the second drive, this is a
more safer configuration
1TB offer 500GB of data, the second is for the “mirror”

Optical Storage
Use lasers, to etch pits into disks
Pits and Nano pits are called lands
Optical media: Blu-ray and DVD

Why can I store data on some discs but not others?

Pre-recorded: CD-ROM, DVD ROM, BD ROM
Recorded: DVD ROMS BD ROMS (movies)
Rewritable: CD-RW, DVD-RW, BD-RE

Do I need separate players and burners for CD, DVD, and now BD formats?
It’s a hierarchy of playing with players

Are there different standards of optical media?

DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, DVD-RAM

Are some CD and DVD drives faster than others?

Format is record speed, rewrite speed, play back speed, and each number represents the
transfer of 150kb of data so 52X32X52X is 52 X 150Kb which is 7,800 KB/seconds

DVD-ROM provide a transfer rate of 1.3MB/s

So how do my storage devices measure up?

Evaluating the Video Subsystem

Video Cards
What is a video card?
Video card is an expansion card that is installed inside your system unit to translate
binary data into images you view on your monitor

Video cards include their own RAM called video memory

Standards of video memory are GDDR3 and the newer graphics double rate 5 (GDDR5)
memory
Video cards have their own graphics processing units (GPUs)

Is a GPU different from a CPU?

Graphics processing unit (GPU) performs the same kind of computational work that a
CPU performs, a GPU is specialized to handle 3-D graphics and image and video
processing with incredible efficiency and speed

Does the GPU live on the motherboard or on the video card?

Sometimes integrated into the motherboard, but high-end video cards have their own
GPU’s separate

How can I tell how much memory my video card has?

Advanced settings of the screen resolution dialog box

How much memory does my video card need?

128 for webbroswe

540+ for gaming

How many video cards can I add to a system?

Only if you are a gamer
Nvidia, and ATI created the standard for combining multiple video cards called SLI and
Crossfire

What else does the video card do?

Controls the number of colors the monitor can display
Number of bits the video card uses to represent each pixel is called bit depth
4-bit displays 16 colors, the minimum
Today 24-bit display 16million colors, this mode is called true color mode
When is it time to get a new video card?
Delay in refreshing, if you need to display on more monitors

Evaluating the Audio Subsystem

Sound Cards
What does the sound card do?
Expansion card that attaches to the motherboard inside your system unit, it enables the
computer to produce sounds

Can I hook up a surround system to my computer?

No, only 3D sound which is the sounds that humans can’t hear but makes a more realistic
sound where you can’t tell whether it’s from the left or right

What is surround sound then?

A type of audio processing that makes the listener experience sound as if it were coming from
all directions
Sound standard is from Dolby

To make surround sound Dolby takes digital sound from a medium (DVD) and reproduces it in
eight channels. Seven channels cover the listening field with placement to the left front,
rightfrom ,right and left rear and two extra side speakers, the eighth is a subwoofer (plays really
low sounds)

I don’t need surround sound on my computer. Why else might I need to buy an upgraded
sound card?
They have more connection ports for music making stuff, jukeboxes, portable mini players

Evaluating System Reliability

What can I do to ensure my system performs reliably?
Clean out start up folder
Clean out unnecessary files
Run spyware and adware removal programs
Run the disk defragment utility on your hard drive

My system crashes often during the day. What can I do?

1. Check you have enough RAM
2. Properly install new software or hardware
3. Check the windows support website if you receive an error code
Can my software affect system reliability?
Run psr the problem steps recorder

How do I know whether updates are available for my software?

Check for updates

What if none of this helps? Is buying a new system my only option?

1. Upgrade your operating system to the latest version
2. Reinstall the operating system
Making the final decision
Gigabiter is where you can give them your computer to recycle it properly
s s ix ix
summary
summary
chapter
4. What are the computer’s main
storage devices, and how can I
evaluate whether they match my
needs?
Storage devices for a typical computer system
may include a hard drive, an SSD drive,
a flash drive, and CD and DVD drives. Bluray
drives are gaining in popularity for
viewing and burning high-density media.
When you turn off your computer, the data
stored in these devices remains. These
devices are referred to as nonvolatile storage
devices. Hard drives have the largest storage
capacity of any storage device and are
the most economical. Newer SSD drives
have the fastest access time and data
transfer rate of all nonvolatile storage
options. CDs and DVDs have capacities
from 700 MB to 17 GB, while Blu-ray discs
can hold up to 50 GB. Portable flash drives
allow easy transfer of 64 GB or more of
data from machine to machine. To determine
the storage capacity your system
needs, calculate the amount of storage your
software needs to reside on your computer.
To add more storage or to provide more
functionality for your system, you can
install additional drives, either internally
or externally.
5. What components affect the output of
video on my computer, and how can
I evaluate whether they match my
needs?
How video is displayed depends on two
components: your video card and your
monitor. A video card translates binary data
into the images you see. These cards include
their own RAM (video memory) as well as
ports that allow you to connect to video
equipment. The amount of video memory
you need depends on what you want to display
on the monitor. A more powerful card
will allow you to play graphics-intense
games and multimedia.
1. How can I determine whether I
should upgrade my existing computer
or buy a new one?
To determine whether you need to upgrade
your system or purchase a new one, you
need to define your ideal system and what
you want it to do. Then you need to perform
a system evaluation to assess the subsystems
in your computer, including the CPU,
memory, storage, video, and audio. Finally,
you need to determine if it’s economical to
upgrade, or whether buying a new
computer would be better.
2. What does the CPU do, and how can I
evaluate its performance?
Your computer’s CPU processes instructions,
performs calculations, manages the
flow of information through the computer
system, and is responsible for processing the
data you input into information. CPU speed
is measured in gigahertz (billions of
machine cycles per second). You can tell
whether your CPU is limiting your system
performance by watching how busy it is as
you work on your computer. The percentage
of time that your CPU is working is referred
to as CPU usage, which you can determine
by checking the Task Manager. Benchmarking
software offers direct performance
comparisons of different CPUs.
3. How does memory work in my
computer, and how can I evaluate
how much memory I need?
RAM is your computer’s temporary
memory. It remembers everything that the
computer needs to process data into information.
However, it is an example of volatile
storage. When the power is off, the data
stored in RAM is cleared out. The amount of
RAM sitting on memory modules in your
computer is your computer’s physical memory.
The memory your OS uses is kernel
memory. At a minimum, you need enough
RAM to run the OS plus the software applications
you’re using, plus a bit more to hold
the data you will input.

6. What components affect the quality

of sound on my computer, and how
can I evaluate whether they match
my needs?
Your computer’s sound depends on your
speakers and sound card. A sound card
enables the computer to produce sounds.
Users upgrade their sound cards to provide
for 3D sound, surround sound, and additional
ports for audio equipment.
7. How can I improve the reliability of
my system?
Many computer users decide to buy a new
system because they are experiencing problems
with their computer. However, before

summary
you buy a new system because you think
yours may be unreliable, make sure the
problem is not one you can fix. Run a full
scan with antispyware software. Make sure
you have installed any new software or
hardware properly, check that you have
enough RAM, run system utilities such as
Disk Defragmenter and Disk Cleanup, clean
out your Startup folder, remove unnecessary
files from your system, and keep your software
updated with patches. If you continue
to have troubles with your system, reinstall
or upgrade your OS, and, of course, seek
technical assistance.
297

Multiple Choice
6. What allows two different programs
to be processed at one time?
a. Hyperthreading
b. SSD
c. Benchmarking
d. GPU
7. Which is not a type of memory stored
in your system?
a. RAM
b. Cache
c. CPU register
d. ALU
8. The optimal amount of memory for a
video card depends on
a. the quality of video you will be
watching.
b. the resolution of the monitor.
c. the number of monitors you have.
d. All of the above.
9. SuperFetch is a memory-management
technique that
a. determines the type of RAM your
system requires.
b. makes the boot-up time for the
system very quick.
c. preloads the applications you use
most into system memory.
d. defragments the hard drive to
increase performance.
10. What is the name for the time it takes
a storage device to locate its stored
data and make it available for
processing?
a. Clock speed
b. Access time
c. Data transfer rate
d. Seek time
True–False
__F__ 1. A single CPU can have multiple cores but cannot also use hyperthreading.
__T__ 2. The memory that your operating system uses is referred to as kernel memory.
__T__ 3. Motherboards are designed with a specific number of memory card slots.
__T__ 4. Cache memory is a form of read-only memory that can be accessed more quickly
by the CPU.
__T__ 5. Solid state drives are faster than hard drives and eSATA drives.

Chapter 7: Networking

Networking Fundamentals

What is a computer network?

Network: simply two or more computers that are connected via software and hardware so that
they can communicate with each other

What are the benefits to having computers networked?

Share internet connection, communicate with devices such as printers

Besides peripheral and Internet connections, does networking facilitate any other types
of resource sharing?

Public sharing folders

Are there disadvantages to setting up a network?

Cost for equipment, administered

Network administration: involves: 1. Installing new computers and deivces, 2. Monitoring the
network to ensure it is performing efficiently, 3. Updating and installing new software on the
network, 4. Configuring or setting up, proper security for a network

Network Architectures

Network architectures: refers to the design of a network (classified by how they are controlled
and the distance between their nodes)

Describing Networks Based on Network Administration

What different types of control do I have on my network?

Local administration: configuration and maintenance of the network must be performed on each
individual computer attached to the network (ex. Peer-to-peer network)

Central administration: tasks can be performed from one computer and affect the other
computers on the network (ex. Client/server network)

What is a peer-to-peer network?

Peer-to-peer (P2P) network: each node connected to the network can communicate directly with
every other node on the network, all nodes are equal (peers)

What are client/server networks?

Client/server networks: contains two different types of computers: clients and servers

Client: computers where users complete specific tasks

Server: computer that provides information or resources to the client computers on the network
Are client/server networks ever used as home networks?

Yes, but they cost more

Home network server: designed to store media, share media across the network, and back up
files on computers connected to the network

Ex. Acer Aspire easyStore server

Desribing Networks Based on Distance

How does the distance between nodes define a network?

Local area network (LAN): network in which nodes are located within a small geographic area

Home area network (HAN): network located in a home

Is it possible to connect LANs?

Wide area network (WAN): made up of LANs connected over long distances

Ex. University campuses

Are wireless networks that cover large areas like cities considered WANs?
Metropolitan area network (MAN)

Network Components

Transmission Media

How are nodes on a network connected?

By transmission media: transmission media: established a communications channel between

the nodes on a network and can either be wireless or wired

Wireless networks use radio waves connected to nodes

Wired networks use a various types of cable (wires) to connect nodes.

Twisted-pair cable: made up of copper wires that are twisted around each other and surrounded
by a plastic jacket (telephone)

Coxial cable: consists of a single copper wire surrounded by a layer of plastic (tv.)

Fiber optic cable

Does it matter what type of media you use to transfer data?

Different types of transmission media data transmit data at different speeds

Data transfer rate (bandwidth): maximum speed at which data can be transmitted between two
nodes on a network

Throughput: actual speed of data transfer that is achieved

Both measured in Mbps (megabits per second)

Network Adapters

How do the different nodes on the network communicate?

Network adapters: devices connected to or installed in a network nodes that enable the nodes
to communicate with each other and to access the network

Network interface card (NIC): designed to use different types of transmission media

Why would I ever consider using a wired connection with my notebook computer?
Wireless signals are more susceptible to interference from magnetic and electrical sources

Building materials

Distance from networking equipment

Network Navigation Devices

How is data sent through a network?

Network navigation devices: facilitate and control the flow of data through a network, data is
sent over in media bundles, and each bundle is a packet

What network navigation devices will I use on my home network?

Routers and switches

Router: transfers packets of data between two or more networks (home and internet networks)

Switch: “traffic cop” on a network, they receive data packets and send them to their intended
nodes on the same network (not between different networks)

Networking Software

What software do home networks require?

OS, Windows, Mac, Linux,

Is the same software used in client/server networks?

They have specialized network operating systems (NOS) software installed on them

The software handles requests for information, Internet access, and the use of peripherals for
the rest of the network nodes (communication goes through server first)

NOS software for Windows Server 2008 R2 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

Home Ethernet Networks

What type of peer-to-peer network should I install in my home?

Ethernet network: developed by the Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), it uses
Ethernet cables and makes the networks extremely efficient at moving data (they use both wired
and wireless transmission media)

What is the current wireless standard for Ethernet networks?

Current standard for Ethernet networks is the 802.11n standard, it is known as WiFi

Four standards are currently defined under the 802.11 WiFi standard: 802.11a, 802.11b,
802.11g, 802.11n (now the preferred choice for home networks with faster data transfer rates)
the standards work with backward compatibility

How do 802.11n wireless devices work?

Wireless routers and network adapters contain transceivers

Transceiver: device that translates the electronic data that needs to be sent along the network
into radio waves and then broadcasts these radio waves to other network nodes, they also
receive the signals from other network nodes

Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO): technology used in the 802.11n standard that achieves
higher throughput

Earlier wireless standards only utilized one antenna for transmitting and receiving data, devices
that use MIMO technology are designed to use multiple antennas for transmitting and receiving
data.

802.11n devices reach throughput up to 300Mbps under ideal conditions

Throughput Speeds

How can I tell how fast the wireless connection to my network is on my computer?

Net Gear software

What kind of throughput is achieveable with wired network connections?

Gb Ethernet standard

Network Cabling
What type of cable do I need to connect to a wired Ethernet network?

Most popular is unishielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable, its composed of four pairs of wires that are
twister around each other to reduce electrical interference

Have RJ-45 connectors

Do all wired Ethernet networks use the same kind of UTP cable?

Cat 5E

Cat 6

Cat 6a

What precautions should be taken when running UTP cable?

Do not put sharp bends into the cable, and run the cable along the perimeter of the room

How long can an Ethernet cable run be?

Can’t exceed 100 meters or the signal starts to degrade

Wired and Wireless on One Network

Can I have wired and wireless nodes on one Ethernet network?
Yes

Are there other types of P2P networks that can be installed in the home?
Non-Ethernet networks in the home are extremely rare: 1. Ethernet networks are based on a
well-established standard, 2. Feature easy set-up, 3. providing good throughput for home
networking needs, 4. are cost effective

Does the type of operating system I’m using affect my choice of a home networking
standard?
All OS have a built in Ethernet software
Home Ethernet Equipment
Routers and Switches: Moving Data around Your Network
What equipment do I need for a home Ethernet network?
Combination of routers and switches are called routers or broadband routers

What do switches do on an Ethernet network?

Acts as a traffic signal by enforcing the rules of the data road on the transmission media
Switch keeps track of the data packets and in conjunction with network interface cards, helps
the data packets find their destinations without running into each other
Also sends data packets directly to where they are headed, which makes the network running
efficiently

Connecting Devices to routers

How many computers and other devices can be connected to a router in a home
network?
Up to 253 wireless connections, but the bandwidth gets split into smaller portions

Does my wireless router support wired connections?

Most wireless routers have three or four Ethernet ports on the back of the router to support
wired connections via. Twisted pair cable

Where do I obtain a router for my home network?

Any electronics store, ISP

How do I know if my router supports wireless networking?

Ask ISP for newest networking standard 802.11n

Where do I place the router on my network?

Modem to router

Are wireless routers for Windows and OS X networks different?

Yes, but Apple has a special one for its own called AirPort

How do I set up my router so that I can use it to connect to the Internet?

Login to router through a web browser, and follow installation wizard

Connecting Network Nodes

What equipment do my computers need to communicate with wireless media on an
802.11n wireless network?
Network interface cards (NICs)

How can I tell what network adapters are installed in my computer?

Device manager utility

Connecting Other Devices to Networks

Network-Ready Devices
What is a network-ready device?
Network ready device: can be connected directly to a router instead of to a computer on the
network

Why should I connect my peripherals to my home network?

Easier to access

What can I attach to my network to facilitate file sharing and back up of data?
Network attached storage (NAS): specialized computing devices designed to store and manage
your data

Besides external hard drives, are their other NAS devices I could use on my network?
Home network server: automatically back up all computers connected to the network, acts a
repository for files to be shared across the network, function as an access gateway to allow any
computer on the network to be accessed from a remote location

Digital Entertainment Devices on a Network

Why should I connect my digital entertainment devices to my network?
Streamed media: media that is sent directly to a device without being saved to a hard drive
Media can also be downloaded where it is loaded onto a hard drve

What types of digital entertainment devices can I use to view streaming or downloaded
media?
Network ready televisions
DVRs (digital video recorders), record high-definition television programs (ex. TiVo)

Can I connect my gaming consoles to my home network?

Of course!

Specialized Home Networking Devices

What if I don’t need the full function ability of a PC, but I still want to access Internet
content?
iPad: an internet appliance

How can I use my home networking to enhance photo sharing?

Electronic photo frames are wireless now

How can I use my home network to enhance my home security?

Monitoring cameras: can monitor you when there is a lack of movement or there is

Securing Wireless Networks

Firewalls
Why is a wireless network more vulnerable than a wired network?
Wired networks make it easy to tell if a hacker is using your network

Why should I be worried about someone logging onto my wireless network without my
permission?
Piggybacking: connecting to a wireless network without the permission of the owner, any illegal
actions can be done through your network which is where it becomes traced by the law
enforcement

How is my wireless network vulnerable?

Savvy hackers can intercept and decode information from your transmissions that may allow
them to bypass any standard protections, such as a firewall

1. Change your network name (SSID) server set identifier: you’re advertising that you
haven’t changed any of the other default settings
2. Disable SSID broadcast
3. Change the default password on your router
4. Turn on your security protocols
5. Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) or Wifi Protected Access (WPA) (both use encryption to
protect data in your wireless transmissions
6. Implement media access control (MAC) address, only restricted devices can use the
network
7. Limit your signal range
8. Apply firmware upgrades

Configuring Software for your Home Network

Windows Configuration
Is configuring software difficult?
Relatively easy, follow wizard

What if I don’t have the same version of Windows on all my computers?

That’s alright they can coexist

How do I differentiate the computers on my network?

Computer names, homegroup
How do Macs connect wirelessly to networks?
Available networks screen will pop up

Why don’t some networks appear as available?

The SSID broadcast is disabled, just enter search for the network name

Wireless Node Configuration

How do I hook up devices like a TiVo or gaming console to my network?
Know the SSID

How can I test my Internet connection speed?

Speedtest.net

Troubleshooting Network Problems

What types of problems can I run into when installing wireless networks?
Connection obstacles ex. Walls

What If a node on the network can’t get adequate throughput?

Reposition the node within the same room
Wireless range extender: device that amplifies your wireless signal to get it out to pars of your
home that are experiencing poor connectivity

s s e ven
eve n

summary

summary
chapter

5. What equipment and software do I

need to build a network in my home?

All computing equipment that will connect

to a network has to contain a network

adapter. Network adapters allow computers

to communicate (either wired or wirelessly)

with network navigation devices such as

routers and switches. Wired connections are

usually made with Cat 6 twisted pair cable.

A router is needed to share an Internet

connection as it transmits data between

two networks (the home network and the

Internet).

6. Besides computers, what other

devices would I connect to a home

network?

Connecting peripherals such as printers

directly to a network allow them to be easily

shared by all users on the network.

Network-attached storage (NAS) devices

allow for the storage and sharing of data

files such as movies and music as well as

providing a central place for file backups.

Connecting digital entertainment devices

(such as gaming consoles) provides the

ability to stream movies and other

entertainment directly from the

Internet.

7. Why are wireless networks more

vulnerable than wired networks, and

what special precautions are required

to ensure my wireless network is

secure?

Wireless networks are even more susceptible

to hacking than wired networks because the

signals of most wireless networks extend

beyond the walls of your home. Neighbors

may unintentionally (or intentionally)

connect to the Internet through your

wireless connection, and hackers may try

to access it. To prevent unwanted intrusions

into your network, you should change the

default password on your router to make

it tougher for hackers to gain access, use a

hard-to-guess SSID (network name), turn

off SSID broadcasting to make it harder

for outsiders to detect your network, and

enable security protocols such as WPA

or WEP.

1. What is a network, and what are the

advantages/disadvantages of setting

up one?

A computer network is simply two or

more computers that are connected using

software and hardware so that they can

communicate. Advantages of networks

include allowing users to (1) share an

Internet connection, (2) share peripheral

devices, and (3) share files. A disadvantage

is that the network must be administered.

2. What is the difference between a

client/server network and a peer-topeer

network?

In peer-to-peer networks, each node

connected to the network can communicate

directly with every other node instead of

having a separate device exercise central

control over the network. P2P networks are

the most common type of network installed

in homes. Most networks that have 10 or

more nodes are client/server networks. A

client/server network contains two types of

computers: a client computer on which

users perform specific tasks and a server

computer that provides resources to the

clients and central control for the network.

3. What are the main components of

every network?

To function, any network must contain four

components: (1) transmission media (cables

or radio waves) to connect and establish

communication between nodes, (2) network

adapters that allow the nodes on the

network to communicate, (3) network

navigation devices (such as routers and

switches) that move data around the

network, and (4) software that allows the

network to run.

4. Which type of network is most

commonly found in the home?

Ethernet networks are the most common

networks used in home networking. Most

Ethernet networks use a combination of

wired and wireless connections depending

upon the data throughput required. Wired

connections usually achieve higher throughput

than wireless connections.

336 Chapter 7 Networking: Connecting Computing D

8. How do I configure the software on

my computer and set up other

devices to get my network up and

running?

Windows features software wizards that

facilitate the setup of both wired and

wireless networks. Plug in the modem,

routers, and all cables, and then switch on

the modem, router, and computers (in that

order). Run the wizards, which should

guide you through the process. Make sure

each computer has a distinct name and

ensure that all computers are in the same

HomeGroup. Devices such as gaming

consoles each have their own set-up

procedures for connecting to wireless

networks but usually require the same

information as needed for connecting a

computer to a secured wireless network.

summary
9. What problems might I encounter

when setting up a wireless network?

You may not get the throughput you need

through a wireless connection and therefore

you may need to consider a wired connection

for certain devices. Distance from the

router as well as walls, floors, and large

metal objects between a device and the

router can interfere with wireless connectivity.

Wireless range extenders can amplify

signals to improve connectivity in areas of

poor signal strength.

Multiple Choice
1. All of the following are advantages of

installing a home network except

sharing

a. peripherals.

b. an Internet connection.

c. files.

d. MAC addresses.

2. Which of the following is not a reason

client/server networks are generally

not installed in homes?

a. Client/server networks can’t

handle streaming media, which is

often required in home networks.

b. Client/server networks are more

difficult to install than peer-topeer

networks.

c. Client/server networks provide

more security than is needed for

home networks.

d. Peer-to-peer networks are less

expensive to install than

client/sever networks.

3. Which of the following is not required

on some simple networks?

a. Network adapters

b. Networking software
c. Network navigation devices

d. Transmission media

4. Which network navigation device is

required to move data between two

networks?

a. Repeater c. Router

b. Switch d. Hub

5. If you need very fast throughput in a

home network, you should use

a. an 802.11n wireless Ethernet

connection.

b. a wired power-line network.

c. a wired gigabit Ethernet

connection.

d. a client/server network.

6. Wireless range expanders

a. are never used for home

networks.

b. are not needed with 802.11n

networks.

c. improve connectivity in remote

areas of a home.

d. turn devices with wired

connections into wireless

nodes.

7. Two or more networks connected

over long geographic distances to

form a single network is usually

referred to as a

a. LAN. c. HAN.

b. MAN. d. WAN.

8. The throughput of a network

a. is the same on all Ethernet

networks.

b. is usually higher on wireless

networks.

c. is the same in all areas covered by

a wireless network.

d. can vary depending upon the

transmission media used.

9. The “name” of a particular wireless

network is known as the

a. NetID. c. SSID.

b. HAN-ID. d. Wifi-ID.

10. The device used to move data around

a single network is called a

a. gateway.

b. switch.

c. router.

d. repeater.

True–False

___F_ 1. Actual data throughput is usually higher on wireless networks.

___T__ 2. Ethernet networks require each node on the network to be equipped with its own

network adapter.

__T__ 3. WEP and WPA are popular wired network security protocols.

__T__ 4. MANs cover a larger geographic area than HANs.

__T___ 5. 802.11n wireless networks provide faster throughput than wired gigabit Ethernet

networks.

Eight Digital Lifestyle

A digital lifestyle
When did everything go “digital”?
Everything now is digital

What is special about digital?

Analog: sound and light waves that are changing in intensity

What advantages do digital formats have over analog ones?

Digital formats can be reproduced exactly and distributed easily

How can a sequence of numbers express complicated analog shapes?

Analog-to-digital conversion: the incoming analog signal is measured many times each
second, the strength of each measurement is recorded as a simple number
How has the change from analog to digital technologies affected our lifestyle?
Lets find out

Digital Telephony: Communicating with Bits

Telephony: the use of equipment to provide voice communications over a distance, has
shifted from an analog science to a digital one

Cell phones and smartphones

What are cell phones and smartphones?
Cellular phone has evolved from a clunky boxlike device to a compact fully featured
communication and information storage device
Smartphone: more fully featured and powerful cellular phone, that can access the
Internet to upload and download e-mail and data

How do cell phones use digital signals?

The analog-to-digital converter chip converts your voice’s sound waves into digital
signals
The digital signal processor handles the compression work, when you receive a radio
wave the processor decompresses the sound, and then an amplifier boosts the signal to
make it loud enough for the speaker

What’s “cellular” about a cell phone?

A set of connected “cells” makes up a cellular network, each cell is a graphic area
centered on a base transceiver station, which is a large communications tower with
antennas, amplifiers, and receivers and transmitters
Mobile switching center: the center that connects the calls

Are cell phones and smartphones considered computers?

Yes!

What does the processor inside a cell/smartphone do?

Cell processor: responsible for coordinating all the data among the electronic
components inside the phone, it runs the phone’s OS (which runs the user interface)
Different processors for phones are Qualcomm Snapdragon, Texas instruments OMAP,
and Marvell XScale
Is there a standard operating system for cell phones?
Windows Phone 7 series, OS X OS for Apple, Palm Pre uses Palm-developed webOS,
Symbian in Nokia N8 (its also freeware)

What does the memory chip inside a cell phone do?

ROM

What input and output devices do cell phones use?

Microphone and keypad, and camera

What cell phone and smartphone software is available?

Microsoft utility tools, games, applications

How do I move music from my computer to my smartphone?

USB cable, use the flash card reader on the computer

How do I synchronize a cell phone with a computer?

Syncing or synchronizing: the process of updating your files so that the files on your cell
phone and computer are the same
Microsoft has a SyncCenter

Can I transfer files wirelessly?

Bluetooth 1,2, and 3

Is there a way to synchronize to my home computer before I get home?

“cloud computing”, MobileMe from Apple

Text Mesaging
What is text messaging?
Short message service (SMS)

How does SMS work?

Uses the cell phone network to transmit messages
Calling center receives the message and delivers it to the appropriate mobile device
Uses store-and-forward technology: this allows any other SMS device in the world to
receive it
The T9(text on 9 keys) algorithm also “learns” from your patterns and suggests words

Can I send and receive multimedia files using a cell phone?

Multimedia message service (MMS): allowes you to send messages that include text,
sound, images and video clips

Internet Connectivity
How do I get Internet service for my smartphone?
Wireless internet service provider or wireless ISP, data plan: internet connectivity plan
At what speed is digital information transferred to my smartphone?
EDGE (enhanced data rate for global evolution) and 3G, 4G is coming in

How can I survive when I find I have no WiFi signal?

Other devices can make a hotspot for you which is called a MiFi, Verizon wireless has
one

How do smartphones display content from the Internet?

Microbrowser: software provides a Web browser that is optimized to display Web
content effectively on the smaller screen (ex. Internet Explorer Mobile)
Wireless Mark-up Language (WML): websites written for mobile devices

Can I keep my e-mail up to date using my cell phone?

Blackberry push technology, gmail, yahoo

Voice over Internet Protocol

VoIP

How is VoIP different from regular telephone service?

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): form of voice-based Internet communications that
turns a standard Internet connection into a means to place phone calls, including long-
distance calls

What do I need to use VoIP?

Speakers, microphone, an Internet connection, and a VoIP provider (ex. Skype Vonage)
What are the advantages and disadvantages of VoIP?
It’s free or low cost, portable
Setbacks: sound quality, and reliability, loss of service if power is interrupted

What new features come with having an Internet-based digital phone at home?
Other services can be bundled with the VoIP such as TV cable

Cell Phone/Smartphone Security

Can I get a virus on my cell smartphone?
McAfee, Symantec, F-Secure
Virus attacks are increasing

How do I keep my cell/smartphone number private?

Get virtual number from your service provider, ex. Telus

Digital Media and Information

How is digital media created?
Sampling rate: specifies the number of times the analog wave is measured each
second, the higher it is the more accurately the original wave can be re-created

Digital Music
How can I create music files easily?
Portable media players (PMPs): small portable devices that enable you to carry your
MP3 files around with you

Are all music files MP3 files?

No, there’s AAC, WMA, and many video files such as DivX, MPEG-4, Xvid

Are PMP devices the only choice for portable media management?
Digital cameras, gaming devices PSP

How do I know how much digital media a PMP can hold?

Depends on the storage, the built-in flash memory, most are hard drives, depends on
the sampling rate as well

How do you control the size of an MP3 file?

When ripping or converting a song

What is I want to store more music or video than the memory on my PMP allows?
Add flash drives or larger sizes

How do I transfer media files to my portable media player?

Firewire, usb port

What if I want a lot of people to listen to my digital music?

Audio dock, speakers, tv’s, cars

How did the shift to digital music impact the music industry?
MP3.com had problems, Napster fixed this
Napster used peer-to-peer sharing

So if I don’t pay for a music download is it illegal?

Tethered downloads: you pay for the music and own it, but are subject to restrictions on
its use
DRM-free music: music without any digital rights management, the music can be moved
from system to system ex. Apple
Napster to Go

Why buy any music if peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing sites are still operating?
Its illegal

Will PMPs eliminate radio stations?

Radio stations online have good quality music airtime, offer podcasting

Digital Navigation
How has digitized information impacted navigation?
GPS (global positioning system) devices
How do I get GPS in my car?
Portable GPS, PDA/smartphone equipped with GPS, or with the car

How does the GPS system work?

GPS devices uses antenna to pick up the signals to transform them into latitude and
longitude

If I don’t have a GPS, how does the 911 system know where I am?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandated that every cell phone have
a GPS chip inside it to follow the E911 program to located the precise information for
any 911 call.

Can I use the GPS chip on a child’s cell phone?

Yes there are family tracking plans that can be bought

Do GPS devices carry other information?

MP3 players, internet, msn

Digital Photography
What is “analog” photography?
SLR (single-lens reflex): when the shutter opens light touches the film and a chemical
reaction occurs, the film is later processed

What is the difference about digital photography?

Digital cameras capture images on electronic sensors called charge-coupled device
(CDD arrays) and then convert those images to digital data

How do I select a digital camera?

“Point and shoot models” to more serious SLR cameras

Why not just use the camera on my cell/smartphone?

Lower resolution, no smile shutter: takes a photo when the subject is smiling

What determines the image quality of a digital camera?

Many factors: quality of the lenses used, the file format and compression used, and the
color management software, resolution (number of data points it records for each image
captured) measured as megapixels MP, mega is millions pixel is picture element which
is one dot on a digital image

What file formats are used for digital images?

Most common is raw uncompressed data (RAW), and Joint Photographic Experts
Group (JPEG)

How do I move photos to my computer?

Flash memory card, photo printing machines, USB, wireless network connections the
Eye-Fi

Can I make my old photos digital?

Scanner which converts images as TIFF files, also recorded in dots per inch (dpi),
optical character recognition (OCR) converts handwritten or typed text into electronic
files

How do I print a digital image?

At home with an expensive printer and fancy paper, or at a store such as Wal-Mart and
Target

Do I need to print out my photos?

Online albums, electronic photo frames

Digital Video
Where does digital video come from?
Digital cameras, Google Video, YouTube, Netflix

How do I record my own digital video?

Video equipment stores it in a digital video (DV) format

What if I decide to add some special effects and a sound track?

Video editing software, where a timeline is present in which you can manipulate a video
file, izzy video podcasts help make the most impact with video editing software with raw
video footage

What kinds of files will I end up with?

You can save/export into a variety of options
AVI is popular for sharing among many users
A codec (compression/decompression) is a rule implemented in either software or
hardware that squeezes the same audio and video in formation into less space
Common codecs are MPEG-4, H.264 and DivX
What if I want a DVD with a menuing system?
Use special DVD authoring software such as Pinncale Studio or Adobe Encore DVD

What is the quickest way to get my video out to viewers?

Flip SideHD, just plug in and update the files to the web

How can I distribute my video to the greatest number of viewers?

Podcast on iTunes, ustream, Justin.tv

Are the television shows and movies I watch digital?

Yes

Is all video digital now?

DTV.gov is a site that keeps consumers current on using conversion boxes to allow
older television sets to operate with the new digital signal

Since the conversion of digital TV signals, are there any more free television
signals?
Yes, if you live in an area with good “over-the-air” (OTA) reception, you can pick up any
free local television

How is HD different from “plain” digital?

HD: high definition
What types of connectivity are provided on modern television sets?
At least 3 hdmi ports, wireless adapter, SD card reader, internet

What advantages are there to watching digital video?

Pause, record television, use widgets
(ex. TiVo)
Can I record the digital video that comes over my television?
Digital video recorders (DVRs), also a Personal video recording (PVR) software on your
computer and record cable signal television (BeyondTV, SageTV)

How else can I get digital video to my TV?

Netflix

Can I get digital video to watch on my portable device?

Yes, TiVo allows the transfer of recorded shows to files on your PC, and mobile
devices, Slingbox is where you can be in another room and control and watch your
home television on your notebook

Digital Mobility and Access

Selecting the Right Device
How do I select the right device for my needs?
Notebook, internet tablet

What if I don’t need a phone but do need Internet access?

Internet tablet with WiFi connectivity, Sony Playstation Portable (PSP)

What if I need a large screen and keyboard?

Netbook (ex. Asus Eee PC and Dell Inspiron Mini 10)

What if all I really need is to bring my books with me?

e-books (Amazon Kindle, Sony reader digital book)

Ubiquitous Computing
What is in the future for our digital lifestyles?
Mark Weiser “computing will be woven into the fabric of everyday life until it is
indistinguishable from it” this concept is called ubiquitous computing
“smart things” era is just beginning

How will our lifestyles change as computing becomes everywhere and invisible?
WineM: each bottle is labeled with a radio frequency identification tag when it is stored
by the owner, the owner can ask the wine rack to show juct the Chardonay and LED
lights just show on those bottles, or it alerts when a bottle is removed

How is shopping changing with increasing access to digital information?

Price comparison tool: ShopSavvy and RedLaser
Mobile coupons called mobicoupons, where the barcode is displayed on the
smartphone

How is marketing changing because the ubiquitous computing?

Microsoft tag transforms everyday things in the real world into live links to online
information and entertainment
Marketers also have to be aware of the phenomenon of “crowdsourcing”: checking in
with the voice of the crowd

How will our “ownership” of objects change with the new access to information?
Large item purchases become “subscriptions” like a riding a bike in Germany
Car Share programs

Could ubiquitous computing technology improve the world?

Yes manking a more secure, cleaner, more informative living environment

What if each of the cell phones distributed around the world had integreated
atmospheric sensors?
They could tag flu viruses or weather

e eighitght
summary

summary
chapter

work in the same way as in a computer to

process information and support communications,

software applications, and other

services.

4. Why would I use VoIP, and what does

it offer that is unique?

VoIP allows inexpensive communication

using a computer or a WiFi-enabled phone.

Because it is based on a digital format for information,

it can support services like automatic

delivery of phone messages to an

e-mail account or texts to a mobile device.

5. How is digital media different from

analog?

Digital media is based on a series of numeric

data comprising number values that were

measured from the original analog waveform.

As a string of numbers, a digital photo

or video file can be easily processed by modern

computers.

6. What can I carry in a portable media

player, and how does it store data?

Most PMPs can store any kind of digital information—

photos, videos, or music files for

example. Some PMPs store data on a hard

drive, while others use flash memory. Some

also allow the amount of memory to be upgraded,

while others have a fixed amount of

memory.

1. What are the changes that have

brought us a digital lifestyle?

The increased use of digital information has

led to a period of greater creativity and control

of our data. In a digital format, information

is easy to carry, manipulate, and

exchange. This has led to revolutionary

changes in communication, entertainment

media, and mobile computing.

2. How has the move to digital

information affected the

communication tools important to

both the business world and life

outside of work?

The age of digital information has brought

new opportunities and challenges to businesses.

Some have had to struggle to shift

their business models to the new style of information.

Because information can be

shared so easily, issues of copyright and intellectual

property have become critical. In

our personal lives, we see products that

allow us to interact with information in

ways that had been too expensive or

difficult before.

3. How do cell/smartphone components

resemble a traditional computer, and

how do they work?

Like a traditional computer, a cell/smartphone

has a central processor, memory, and

an operating system. These components

What ways are there for me to create

and to watch digital video?

You can create digital video using any digital

camera, webcam, or digital camcorder.

Digital editing software allows you to add

transitions, effects, and sound tracks. There

are a great many sources of digital video, including

free sources like YouTube and

JustIn, as well as pay-per-view services like

Amazon Video On Demand or cable

providers’ streaming video options.

summary
8. What changes does ubiquitous

computing bring to our lifestyles?

As computers become smaller and less obvious,

they will begin to integrate into our lifelike

appliances rather than be complicated

tools. Ubiquitous computing is beginning to

allow us to move some objects from an ownership

model to a subscription service

model.

399

e eighitght
self-test
self-test
chapter 402 Chapter 8

Digital Lifestyle: Managing Digital Data and Devices

Instructions: Answer the multiple-choice and true–false questions below for more practice

with key terms and concepts from this chapter.

Multiple Choice
1. Which is not a factor that determines

the quality of images taken with a

digital camera?

a. Lens quality c. Resolution

b. File format d. EyeFi

2. Which is the process of ensuring that

two computer devices have the same

data?

a. Mapping

b. Standardizing

c. Synchronizing

d. Transferring

3. The operating system of your cell

phone is stored in

a. read-only memory.

b. the display.

c. the digital signal processor.

d. random-access memory.

4. If you want the lightest, most

portable computing solution, you

would purchase

a. a netbook.

b. a tablet PC.

c. an Internet tablet.

d. a notebook.

5. P2P is an acronym for

a. packet-to-packet networking.

b. peer-to-peer sharing.

c. person-to-person texting.

d. power-to-power delivery.

6. What software makes it possible to

view Web pages on a cell phone?

a. Microbrowser

b. Extension

c. Push technology

d. 3G standard

7. Flash memory is a type of

a. nonvolatile memory.

b. hard drive memory.

c. SSD memory,

d. volatile memory.

8. VoIP is phone service that

a. works even when the electricity

goes out.

b. works over an Internet

connection.

c. requires no special setup for a

secure connection.

d. has extremely high quality and is

very reliable.

9. Which of the following is not true

about modern televisions?

a. They incorporate wireless

connectivity.

b. They allow other services, like

caller ID, to be integrated.

c. They can use widgets to display

sports and news updates.

d. They run word processing and

slide presentation software.

10. Which service allows you use your

cell phone to send messages that

contain images?

a. MMS

b. ISP

c. SMS

d. MiFI

True–False
___T_ 1. All smartphones allow you to add more memory.

___F_ 2. Digital music files must be converted to the MP3 format if they are transferred to a

mobile device.
__T__ 3. A codec is the algorithm that compresses and decompresses video files.

__F__ 4. If your digital camera doesn’t support wireless connectivity, you can use a

memory card with built-in WiFi.

___T_ 5. Some Internet-enabled devices like the Nokia N810 Internet tablet use Skype for

voice communications instead of cell phone service.

Chapter 9: Securing your system

Keeping your Data safe

Cybercrime: malicious computer programs, stealing people’s identities online, attacks

on corporate Web sites

Who perpetrates computer crimes?

Cybercriminals: individuals who use computers, networks, and the Internet to perpetrate
crime

What kinds of cybercrimes are conducted over the Internet?

Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C)

With all the news coverage about cybercrimes, aren’t people being cautious?
No, Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG)

Are computer viruses a type of cybercrime?

Computer virus: a program that attaches itself to another computer program (known as
host program) and attempts to spread to other computers when files are exchanged
Ex. Conficker virus

Does cybercrime include the theft of computing devices?

No, called larceny

Computer Threats: Computer Viruses

What do computer viruses do?
Replicate itself and copy its code into as many files as possible
Secondary objectives: displaying annoying messages on the computer, destroying files

How does my computer catch a virus?

Peer to peer sharing
Portable hard drive sharing
e-mail
Types of Viruses
Boot-Sector Viruses
What are boot-sector viruses?
Boot-sector virus: replicates itself into a hard drive’s master boot record
Master boot record: program that executes whenever a computer boots up
Often transmitted by a flash drive

Logic bombs and time bombs

What is a logic bomb?
Logic bomb: virus that is triggered when certain logical conditions are met- such as
opening a file or starting a program a certain number of times.
Time bomb: a virus that is triggered by the passage of time or on a certain date
Ex. Blackworm virus

Worms
What is a worm?
Worm is a virus that attempts to travel between systems through network connections to
spread an infection

Installing antivirus software: software specifically designed to detect viruses and protect
your computer and files from harm

Script and Macro Viruses

What are scripts and macro viruses?
Script: a series of commands (mini program)
Macro virus: virus that attaches itself to a document that uses macros (word, excel).
Ex. Melissa: it finds the first 50 people in the address book, and sends itself to them

Encryption Viruses
What are encryption viruses?
Encryption viruses: runs a program that searches for common types of data files (ex.
Word), and compresses them using a complex encryption key that renders them
unusable, the distributor will ask for money to decrypt the files, which makes it flawed
since the transaction can be traced

Virus Classifications
How else are viruses classified?
Polymorphic virus: changes its own code to avoid detection (main type of .exe files)
Multiplier virus: infect multiple file types in an effort to fool the antivirus software that is
looking for it
Stealth virus: temporarily erase their code from the files and hides in the RAM, not a
problem anymore as antivirus programs search RAM as well

Computer Safeguard: Antivirus Software and Software Updates

Symantec, Kaspersky, AVG, McAfee
Antivirus Software
How often do I need to run antivirus software?
Once a week

How does antivirus software work?

Antivirus software looks for virus signatures in files. A virus signature is a portion of the
virus code that is unique to a particular computer virus
Quarantining: putting a virus in a secure area
Inoculation: AV records key attributes about the files on your computer and keeps these
statistics in a safe place on the hard drive, it allows for a file reference to make sure
there isn’t a virus on the file

Does antivirus software always stop viruses?

New virus code is written, so update your antivirus program often

How do I make sure my antivirus software is up to date?

Automatic update feature

What should I do if I think my computer is infected with a virus?

Boot up the computer with the antivirus installation disc

Are instant messenger programs safe from virus attacks?

1. Allow contact only from uses on your Buddy or Friends List
2. Never automatically accept transfers of data
3. Avoid using instant messaging programs on public computers
Software Updates
Is there anything else I should do to protect my system?
Drive-by-download: common, through malicious websites that attack the computer by
downloading harmful software onto the computer

Do updates only happen automatically?

Option 1: install updates automatically
Option 2: download updates but let me choose whether to install them
Option 3: check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them
Option 4: Give me recommended updates (optional, and necessary)
Option 5: Microsoft Update

Computer Threats: Hackers

Hacker: anyone who unlawfully breaks into a computer system wither a computer or a
network

Are there different kinds of hackers?

White-hat hacker: do the hacking as a challenge, but not break or steal anything
Black-hat hacker: destroy information or gain illegally

What about the teenage hackers who are caught so often?

Script kiddies: teenage hackers that use script from professionals to wreak havoc

Why would a hacker be interested in breaking into my home computer?

Some hackers just like to snoop, the challenge

What hackers steal

Could a hacker steal my credit card number?
Packet sniffer or a keylogger: program that captures all keystrokes made on a computer

What’s a packet sniffer?

Packet: small piece of information travelling through the Internet identified with an IP
address, and once they reassemble into cohesive messages

Packet sniffer: computer program developed by hackers that looks at each packet as it
travels the Internet, vulnerable on wireless networks

What do hackers do with the information they “sniff”?

Sell the information of credit card numbers and login information

Identity theft: someone using personal information about you to assume your identity for
the purpose of defrauding others

Trojan Horses
Besides stealing information what other problems can hackers cause if they
break into my computer?
Trojan horse: a program that appears to be something useful or desirable, but while it
runs does something malicious in the background without your knowledge
What damage can Trojan horses do?
Create backdoor program: allows hackers to take almost complete control of your
computer without your knowledge
Zombie: computer that a hacker controls

Denial of Service Attacks

What are denial-of-service attacks?
Denial-of-services (DoS) attack: legitimate users are denied access to a computer
system because a hacker is repeatedly making requests of that computer system
through a computer he or she has taken over as a zombie
The computer is too busy to allow access, with spam requests

Couldn’t a DoS attack be traced by to the computer that launched it?

Distributor denial-of-service (DDoS) attack
Botnet: a large group of software programs that runs autonomously on zombie
computers
The attack is done by many different computers
How Hackers Gain Access
How exactly does a hacker gain access to a computer?
Direct access involve using the computer directly

What are logical ports?

Logical ports: virtual communications gateways or paths that allow a computer to
organize requests for information (web page downloads ex.) from other networks or
computers

Logical ports are numbered and assigned to specific services, ex. WWB is port 80

Restricting Access to Your Digital Assets

Firewalls
Firewall: a program or hardware device designed to protect computers from hackers
Personal firewall: specifically designed for home networks

Types of Firewalls
What kinds of firewalls are there?
What software firewalls are there?
Norton, McAfee, ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite

What are hardware firewalls?

Router firewalls
How firewalls work
They protect the computer’s network address, and block access to logical ports
Packet filtering: filter out packets sent to specific logical ports
Logical report blocking: ignore all incoming packets
IP addresses are assigned dynamic addressing from the internet service provider
Static Addresing: assigned IP address
Firewalls use a process of network address translation (NAT) to assign internal IP
addresses on a network

Knowing Your Computer is Secure

How can I tell my computer is at risk?
Gibson Research, ShieldUP

What if I don’t get a clean report from the testing program?

Get a firewall, or configure current one

Preventing Bluetooth Attacks

What are the security vulnerabilities of Bluetooth devices?
Bluesnarfing: exploiting a flaw in the Bluetooth access software for the purpose of
accessing a Bluetooth device and stealing the information contained on it
Car Whisperer eavesdrops on conversations taking place in your car
Bluebugging: (more dangerous) hacker must take control of a blue tooth device and
making phone calls and accessing the Internet etc..
Reverse SMS: process of making small purchases with the cell phone bill

How can I protect myself from Bluetooth attacks?

Make your Bluetooth invisible
Bluetommorow: antivirus software

Password Protection and Password Management

John the Ripper

Creating Passwords
What constitutes a strong password?
Several different characters that don’t constitute of words

How can I check the strength of my passwords?

Password meter, Microsoft’s test

How can I use a password to restrict access to my computer?

Managing Your Passwords

How can I remember all of my complex passwords?
Where can I obtain password-management software?

Anonymous WebSurfing: Hiding from Prying Eyes

Should I be concerned about surfing the Internet on shared or public computers?

What tools can I use to protect myself when using public computers?
IronKey, has everything done from the flash stick

Biometric Authentication Devices

Besides passwords, how else can I restrict the use of my computer?
Biometric authentication device: reads fingerprint or iris pattern on the eye

Managing Online Annoyances

Malware, Adware, and Spyware
What is malware?
Malware: software that has a malicious intent there are three forms:
Adware, Spyware: known as grayware which are annoying or objectionable online
programs that are downloaded to your computer when you install free stuff
Viruses are the third

What is adware?
Adware: software that displays sponsored advertisements in a section of your browser
window or as a pop-up ad box
What is spyware?
Spyware is an unwanted piggyback program that usually downloads with other software
you want to install from the Internet, and runs in the background of the system. It
transmits information about you, your habits.
Ex/ keystore logger: monitors keystrokes with the intent of stealing passwords, login IDs
or credit card information

Can I prevent spyware?

Big Brother is Watching

Cyberloafing: cyberslacking, means doing anything with a computer while you are being
paid to do your job, that is not an approved funcrtion of your job

Spam
How can I best avoid spam?
Spam: uwanted or junk e-mail
Spam filter: you can select in your e-mail account that places known or suspected spam
messages into a folder other than your inbox

How do spam filter work?

Filters message content and headers such as “free”

How else can I prevent spam?

Don’t accept agreements that allow for the selling of your email address

Cookies
What are cookies?
Cookies (aka tracking cookies): small text files that some Web sites automatically store
on your computer’s hard drive when you visit them

What do Web sites do with cookie information?

Gives information about your browsing habits
Used for marketing strategy to determine the effectiveness of its content

Can companies get my personal information when I visit sites?

Only obtains the information you fill out forms with

Do privacy risks exist with cookies?

Yes, companies examine information

Should I delete cookies from my hard drive?

No security threats, no real need to delete
Cookie Pal can help monitor cookies

Protecting Yourself…from Yourself!

Protecting Your Personal Information
What information should I never share on Web sites?
SS#, birthdate, school

How can I tell who can see my information in a social network?

Privacy settings

How can I protect my information on Facebook?

Settings

Backing Up Your Data

How might I damage the data on my computer?
1. Unauthorized access
2. Tampering
3. Destruction

What types of files do I need to back up?

Program file: used to install software and usaually comes on CDs or DVDs
Data file: file you created or purchased

Are there different ways to back up my files?

Incremental backup (partial back up): backing up only files that have changed or been
created since the last backup was performed

Image backup (system backup): all system, application, and data files are backed up,
not just files that changed

How often should I back up my files?

Depends on how often you make changes

Where do the backups of my files reside?

1. Online sites ex. Skydrive, adrive, iron mountain, ibackup
2. Local drives: external drives
3. Network-attached storage devices and home servers: NAS (network-attached
storage) device: large hard drives that are connected to a network of computers

How do I actually perform a file backup?

Should I back up my files that are stored on my school’s network?

Yes!

Social Engineering: Fooling the Unwary

What is social engineering?
Social engineering: any technique that uses social skills to generate human interaction
that entices individuals to reveal sensitive information (telephone scams)

How does social engineering work?

Use a pretext: involves creating a scenario that sounds legitimate enough that someone
will trust

Phishing and Pharming

How are phishing schemes conducted?
Phishing: lures internet users to reveal personal information such as credit card
numbers (ex. Email that require security information confirmation)

Is pharming a type of phishing scam?

Pharming: malicious code is planted on your computer that leads a user to a fake
website to the intended one. It is exactly the same in appearance.

How can I avoid being caught by phishing and pharming scams?

Never reply to e-mail
Use virtual credit card number

Hoaxes
What is a hoax?
Hoax: attempt to make someone believe something that is untrue

Why do people concoct e-mail hoaxes?

Urban legend: hoaxes that become accept as true

How can I tell if an e-mail is a hoax?

Snopes. Com , hoax-slayer, truthorfiction

Protecting Your Physical Computing Assets

Environmental Factors
Why is the environment critical to the operation of my computer equipment?
Avoid excessive heat or cold, keep in a clean room to avoid dust

Power Surges
What is a power surge?
Power surge: occur when electrical current is supplied in excess of normal voltage
Surge protector: device that protects your computer against power surges

How do surge protectors work?

Surge protectors contain two components that are used to protect the equipment:
Metal-oxide varistors (MOVs) bleed off excess current during minor surges and feed it
to the ground wire, while still passing electricity to the device
During major surges a fuse inside the surge protector blows, which stops the flow of
current to all devices plugged into the surge protector.

Besides my computer, what other devices need to be connected to a surge

protector?
Whole-house surge protector
Is my equipment 100% safe when plugged into a surge protector?
Some can be 2 overwhelming

How can I prevent my computers from losing power during a power outage?
Uninterruptible power supply (UPS): has surge protection and power supply

Deterring Theft
Alarms
What type of alarm can I install on my notebook computer?
Monitor alarm: uses a mall device called a key fob activator or punch in a code to
activate the alarm (if moved it sounds)

Locks and Surrounds

How can I lock up a notebook computer?
Chaining

Software Alerts
How can my computer alert me when it is stolen?
LoJack: theft tracking device, with a transmitter
Computrace LoJack

What if the thieves find the tracking software and delete it?
Files are not visible

Are there ways to protect data contained on mobile devices?

TealLock offers additional protection features such as data encryption, and protection
against data bomb software which destroy data on both internal and external data cards

How can I ensure that I’ve covered all aspects of proteting my computer?
nine
summary
chapter
5. How do I create secure passwords
and manage all of my passwords?
Secure passwords contain a mixture of
upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and
symbols, and are at least 14 characters long.
Passwords should not contain words that
are in the dictionary or easy-to-guess personal
information (like your pet’s name).
Online password checkers can be used to
evaluate the strength of your passwords.
Utilities built into Web browsers and Internet
security software can be used to manage
your passwords and alleviate the need to remember
numerous complex passwords.
6. How can I surf the Internet
anonymously and use biometric
authentication devices to protect my
data?
The current versions of the popular
browsers include tools (such as Chrome’s
Incognito feature) that hide your surfing activities
by not recording Web sites that you
visit, or files that you download, in your
browser’s history files. Biometric authentication
devices use a physical attribute (such as
a fingerprint) that is not easily duplicated to
control access to data files or computing devices.
Some notebooks today feature fingerprint
readers and facial recognition software
to control access.
7. How do I manage online annoyances
such as spyware and spam?
The Web is filled with annoyances such as
spam, pop-ups, cookies, spyware, and scams
such as phishing that make surfing the Web
frustrating and sometimes dangerous. Software
tools help to prevent or reduce spam,
adware, and spyware, while exercising caution
can prevent serious harm caused by
phishing, pharming, and other Internet
scams and hoaxes.
1. From which types of viruses do I
need to protect my computer?
A computer virus is a program that attaches
itself to another program and attempts to
spread to other computers when files are exchanged.
Computer viruses can be grouped
into five categories: (1) boot-sector viruses,
(2) logic bombs and time bombs, (3) worms,
(4) scripts and macros, and (5) encryption
viruses. Once run, they perform their
malicious duties in the background and are
often invisible to the user.
2. What can I do to protect my computer
from viruses?
The best defense against viruses is to install
antivirus software. You should update the
software on a regular basis and configure it
to examine all e-mail attachments for
viruses. You should periodically run a
complete virus scan on your computer to
ensure that no viruses have made it onto
your hard drive.
3. How can hackers attack my
computing devices, and what harm
can they cause?
A hacker is defined as anyone who breaks
into a computer system unlawfully. Hackers
can use software to break into almost any
computer connected to the Internet (unless
proper precautions are taken). Once hackers
gain access to a computer, they can potentially
(1) steal personal or other important
information, (2) damage and destroy data,
or (3) use the computer to attack other
computers.
4. What is a firewall, and how does it
keep my computer safe from
hackers?
Firewalls are software programs or hardware
devices designed to keep computers
safe from hackers. By using a personal firewall,
you can close open logical ports to invaders
and potentially make your computer
invisible to other computers on the Internet.

8. What data do I need to back up, and

what are the best methods for doing
so?
Data files created by you (such as Word and
Excel files) or purchased by you (such as
music files) need to be backed up in case
they are inadvertently deleted or damaged.
Application software (such as Microsoft
Office) may need to be reinstalled if files are
damaged, so backups (usually the DVDs or
CDs the application came on) must be
maintained. Web sites such as Adrive and
Skydrive are great for backing up individual
files. External hard drives are popular
choices for holding image backups of your
entire system. Windows 7 and OS X contain
solid backup tools that help automate
backup tasks.
9. What is social engineering, and how
do I avoid falling prey to phishing and
hoaxes?
Social engineering schemes use human interaction,
deception, and trickery to fool
people into revealing sensitive information
such as credit card numbers and passwords.
Phishing schemes usually involve e-mails
that direct the unwary to a Web site that
summary
appears to be legitimate (such as a bank site)
but is specifically designed to capture personal
information for committing fraud. To
avoid phishing scams, you should never
reply directly to any e-mail asking you for
personal information, and never click on a
link in an e-mail to go to a Web site. You can
research topics you believe to be hoaxes at
sites such as Snopes (snopes.com).
10. How do I protect my physical
computing assets from environmental
hazards, power surges, and theft?
Computing devices should be kept in clean
environments free from dust and other
particulates and should not be exposed to
extreme temperatures (either hot or cold).
You should protect all electronic devices
from power surges by hooking them up
through surge protectors, which will
protect them from most electrical surges
that could damage the devices. Notebook
computers can be protected from theft
either by attaching alarms to them or by
installing software that will help recover
the computer, if stolen, by reporting the
computer’s whereabouts

Multiple Choice
1. Computer viruses that hide in memory

to escape detection are known as

a. logic bombs.

b. Trojan horses.

c. stealth viruses.

d. multipartite viruses.

2. Viruses that that feature a series of

commands hidden on a web site are

called

a. boot-sector viruses.

b. script viruses.
c. polymorphic viruses.

d. time bombs.

3. Antivirus software segregates

infected files to prevent further

spread in a process known as

a. inoculation. c. disinfection.

b. quarantine. d. eradication.

4. Hackers without sophisticated

computer knowledge who use tools

developed by others to break into

systems are called

a. black-hat hackers.

b. script kiddies.

c. amateur hackers.

d. white-hat hackers.

5. Which are programs that pretend to

be a useful program but do something

malicious on your computer?

a. Trojan horses

b. Backdoor programs

c. Zombies

d. Spyware

6. Large groups of software programs

that run automatically on many

computers at the same time often

to perpetrate DoS attacks are

known as

a. Trojan horses.

b. backdoor programs.

c. zombie webs.

d. botnets.

7. When hackers use many zombie computers

to launch an attack on another

computer or Web site, the attack is

known as a

a. zombie infestation.

b. distributed denial-of-service

attack.

c. phishing attack.

d. pharming plague.

8. Which are the virtual pathways into a

computer that firewalls close?

a. Packet gateways

b. IP addresses

c. Logical ports

d. Data paths

9. Programs that download to your

computer, usually without your

knowledge, for the purpose of collecting

information, is a type of cyberannoyance

known as

a. pharmware.
b. adware.

c. spyware.

d. bloatware.

10. A backup of the entire contents of

your hard drive is knows as

a. a system backup.

b. an incremental backup.

c. an image backup.

d. an incremental backup.

True–False
_F___ 1. An incremental backup back ups all files on your computer in a specified location.

__T__ 2. Even a properly installed surge protector may fail to protect a computer from all

power surges.

__T__ 3. Phishing is a form of social engineering.

__F__ 4. When malicious code is planted on your computer that interferes with your

browser’s ability to find Web addresses, it is known as phishing. (its pharming)

__T__ 5. If a password includes numbers, symbols, and upper- and lowercase letters, it is

considered to be a strong password.

Ten: Behind the scenes: building applications

Understanding Software Programming
Why would I ever need to create a program?
To do something with a software program that hasn’t been created yet

If I’m not going to be a programmer, why do I need to know some programming?

Creating macros for the computer

The Life Cycle of an Information System

Information system: includes data, people, procedure, hardware, and software, that work
together
The system needs to work together towards a common goal and in order for that to occur an
organizaed process must be followed to ensure the development proceeds in an orderly
process

The steps are referred to as the system development life cycle (SDLC)

System Development Life Cycle

Why do I need a process to develop a system?
Because programs need to be available for multiple operating systems, work over networked
environments, and be free of errors and well supported

What steps constitute the SDLC?

Six steps:
1. Problem and opportunity identification
2. Analysis: explore in depth problem to be solved
3. Design: using flowcharts (visual diagrams of a process, including the decisions that must
be made along the way) and data-flow diagrams (trace all data in an information system
from the point at which data enters the system to its final resting place (storage or
output)), ideas can be outsourced as well or bought

4. Development and Documentation: actual programing takes places

5. Testing and Installation: make sure the program works, and installing it so that it can be
used
6. Maintenance and Evaluation: monitor the program to ensure it is still meeting the needs
of the end users, search for bugs (errors)

The Life Cycle of a Program

What is programming?
Programming: process of translating a task into a series of commands a computer will use to
perform that task

How do programmers tackle a programming project?

Program development cycle (PDLC)
1. Describing the problem: in a problem statement that describes how the software
program will behave
2. Making a plan: the problem statement is translated into a set of specific, sequential steps
that describe exactly what the computer program must do to complete the work
(algorithm is the steps of this stage)
3. Coding: the algorithm is translated into programming code, 1s and 0s
4. Debugging: programmers find and repair any known errors in the code
5. Finishing the Project: software is tested by both the programmers and the people who
use the program, finally the users are trained so that they can use the program efficiently

Describing the Problem: The Problem Statement

Problem statement: starting point of programming work, it’s a clear description of what tasks the
computer program must accomplish

What kind of problems can computer programs solve?

Many simulative and problem solving ones

How do programmers create problem statements?

3 things:
1. Data is the raw input that users have at the start of the job
2. Information: result or output that users require at the end of the job
3. Method: describes precisely the process of how program converts the inputs into the
correct outputs

Three elements again:

1. Data (input):, the data, the number of hours
2. Information (Output): the problem, what is your total pay for the day
3. Method (process): hours of work * wage

How do programmers handle bad inputs?

Error handling with invalid user inputs, testing plan: specifies the typical inputs from the user

Does the testing plan cover every possible use of the program?
The testing plan would describe how the error would be managed or how the output would be
generated for each input category

Is there a standard format for a problem statement?

Usually the same pattern

Making a Plan: Algorithm Development

Do algorithms appear only in programming?
Algorithm is the layout of specific plan to encapsulate all the choices you need to making in the
course of completing a particular task
Algorithm: series of steps that is completely know: at each point we know exactly what step to
take next
What are the limitations of algorithms?
Random events which change the outcomes
How do programmers represent an algorithm?
Flowchart, where the diamonds mean yes or no, and rectangle indicates an instruction to follow
Pseudocode: text-based approach to documenting an algorithm
It’s organized with different levels of indentation to indicate the flow of actions within the
program

Developing an Algorithm: Decision Making and Design

How do programmers develop an algorithm?
Algorithms with choices in the complex problems are called decision points: places where the
program must choose from an array of different actions based on the value of its current input

What kind of decision points are there?

fork in the road/ branch, these are binary decisions
loop: actions are performed until there is a no in the algorithm where it follows another loop

ex. 1. Beginning point or initial value is $0.

2. A set of actions that will be performed
3. a check to see whether the loop is complete, called a test condition
Control structures: the general term used for keywords in a programming language that allows
the program to control (redirect) the flow of the program based on a decision.

How do programmers create algorithms for specific tasks?

Top-Down Design
What is top-down design?
Top down design is a systematic approach in which a problem is broken into a series of high-
level tasks
The task is repeatedly broken down into more detailed subtasks

How is top-down design used in programming?

Object-Oriented Analysis
What is object-oriented analysis?
Object oriented analysis: programmers first identify all of the categories of inputs that are part of
the problem the program is trying to solve, these categories are called classes
Classes are nouns and methods are verbs
Programmers define the classes, data and methods
Different examples of a class is an object (employee names)
Why would a developed select the object-oriented approach over top-down design?
Object-oriented designs leads to reusability
Inheritance: a new class can automatically pick up all of the data and methods of an existing
class, and then extend and customize those to their own specific needs
Original class is called base class, and the modified is called derived class

Ex. Different derived classes from the base class of shape

Coding: Speaking the Language of the Computer

How is a person’s idea translated into CPU instructions?
Coding: act of translating an algorithm into a programming language
How exactly do programmers move from algorithm to code?
Exam the steps and sequences of the algorithm, once the required information and flow is
determined the programmer can begin coding

Categories of Programming Languages

What exactly is a programming language?
Programming language: kind of ‘code’ for the set of instructions CPPU knows how to perform

What kinds of programming languages are there?

Classified in several major groupings/ generations, in how the computers were built and
functioned

How have modern programming languages have evolved?

First generation language (1GU): actual machine language of a CPU the 1’s and 0’s the
computer understands

Second generation language (2GL): assembly language that allows programmers to write their
programs using a set of short English-like commands that speak directly to the CPU and give
them programmer direct control of hardware

Third generation language (3GL): uses symbols and commands to help programmers tell the
computer what to do, ex. BASIC, FORTRAN, COBOL, C/C++, and Java

Fourth-generation language (4GL): structured query language that is a database programming

language

Fifth-generation language (5GL): “more natural” languages, ex. PROLOG Programming Logic
Using lots of rules that are mainly text based

Do programmers have to use a higher-level programming language to solve a problem

with a computer?
No, but higher level languages offer greater portability between OS’s, and that more time and
energy can be spent on solving the problem rather than fixing the structure of the program

The building blocks of programming languages:

Syntax: agreed upon set of rules defining how a language must be structured
Statements: formal syntax in code
Keywords: set of words that have predefined meanings for a particular language, they translate
the flow of the algorithm into the structured code of the programming language

Creating Code: Writing the Program

What happens first when you write a programme?
Variable needs to be announced early in the program so that memory space can be set aside
Variable declaration: tells the operating system that the program needs to allocate storage
space in RAM
Ex. Int Day;
Int= integer and that it will always be a number
After the RAM space is found, it is reserved as long as the program is running
C++ float TotalPay;, float is a number variable as well

Data types: describe the kind of data that is being stored at the memory location, so that
memory can be allocated as efficiently as possible
Int: integers, float: real numbers, char: characters, and bool: Boolean values (true-false)

Operators: coding symbols of the language

<<, &&, +-*/

Can programmers leave notes to themselves inside a program?

Programmers can insert a comment/remark, the compiler ignores the comments and the notes
can be seen by other programmers “//”

What would completed code for a program look like?

Are there ways in which programmers can make their code more useful for the future?
Reusable components: functions, methods, procedures, subroutines, modules, or packages
Compilation
How does a programmer move from code in a programming language to 1s and 0s the
CPU can understand?
Compilation: process which code is converted into machine language 1s and 0s
Compiler: program that understands both the syntax of the programming language and the
exact structure of the CPU and its machine language, it can read the “source code”

Separate versions of the compiler are required if you want to compile code that will run on
separate processor types

Programmers have now made an executable program, .exe which is stored in 1s and 0s
language

Does every programming language have a compiler?

Some use interpreter instead
Interpreter: translates the source code into an intermediate form, line by line (good for coding
stage)
Compilation process takes longer because all of the source code is translated into machine
language before any lines are executed

Coding Tools: Integrated Development Environments

Are there any tools that make the coding process easier?
Compiler products feature an:
Integrated development environment (IDE): development tool that helps programmers write,
compile, and test their programs (ex. Microsoft Visual Studio using C++)

How does an IDE help programmers when they are typing the code?
Code editing: step in which programmers physically type the code into the computer
IDE includes an editor: a special tool that helps programmers as they enter the code,
highlighting keywords, and altering them to typos

How does the IDE help programmers after code is finished?

It shows how many syntax errors have been identified, and how many warnings have been
generated as well as there location
Debugging: Getting Rid of Errors
Debugging: running the program over and over and to make sure the program behaves in the
way it should

How do programmers know whether there is anything wrong with their program?
Make sure the program input values are tested any way possible to look for bugs that might
occur

Is the testing plan reveals errors, why does the program compile?
Program can’t decide whether the programmer wrote is logical, the compiler only can make sure
that the specific rules of the language are followed

Logical errors occur only when the program executes

Runtime error: when something isn’t possible to do (ex. Divide by 0)

Are there tools that help programmers find logical errors?

A debugger is used that helps programmers dissect a program as it runs (the program can be
run in slow motion and the programmer can see the steps that are being executed)

Finishing the Project: Testing and Documentation

Internal testing: a group within the software company uses the program in every way it can
imagine, where any problems are recorded

External testing: testing round people that will eventually purchase and use the software

What other testing does the code undergo?

A free or reduced cost beta version to certain test sites or to interested users

What happens if problems are found after beta testing?

The problems will get fixed and the RTM (release to manufacturers) is issued and the product is
in GA (general availability) and can be purchased by the public

Problems found after GA requires software updates or service packs

After testing, is the project finished?

Documentation is still required
Documentation: describes the development and technical details on how the code works, and
how the user interacts with the program, and training begins to teach new users how to use it
efficiently

Programming Languages: Many Languages for Many Projects:

What languages are popular today?
C/C++ and Java

How do I know which language to study first?

Pascal the only modern language that was specifically designed as teaching language, but now
C++ and Java is being taught

How does anyone learn so many languages?

Most languages have the common basic components
Selecting the Right Language
How do programmers know which language to select for a specific project?
Space available: not all programs require the same amount of space
Speed required: some languages can execute more efficiently than others can
Organizational resources available: how many programmers are available to work on the code
Type of target application: Windows, Linux, OS X

Windows Applications
What languages do programmers use if they want to build a Windows application?
The programs have common features such as scroll bars, title bars, and text boxes

Can I just point and click to create a Windows application?

Yes, through visual programming: which helps programmers produce a final application much
more quickly

Visual Basic
What if programmers want to have a model of their program before it’s fully developed?
A format other than the System development life cycle (SDLC), is building a prototype at the
beginning of a large project
Prototyping is a form of rapid application development (RAD): an alternative to the waterfall
approach, RAD is used in Microsoft Visual Basic (VB)
VB is quick and simple interface, it has grown from BASIC (beginner’s all-purpose symbolic
instruction code)
VB 2010 and .NET Framework are both part of Visual Studio 2010 which provides a complete
set of develop tools

How does the Microsoft .NET Framework help programmers?

Microsoft .NET Framework: software development environment designed to let Web sites “talk”
to each other easily
Web service: program that a Web site uses to make information available to other Web sites

C and C++
What languages do programmers use if the problem requires a lot of “number
crunching”?
C/C++

Why was the C language developed?

C was developed for system programmers; it was supposed to make accessing the operating
system easier
C++ is C to an object oriented level

Are C and C++ natural choices when I’m looking to learn my first language?
The notation is easy to master
They use small amounts of memory, and their basic components are common to many other
languages

Java and C#
What language do programmers use for applications that need to collect information
from network computers?
Java, and C# (sharp)
Can a Java application work on any type of computer?
No, the Java program does not care which CPU, OS, or user interface is

Target computers run a Java Virtual Machine software that can explain to the Java program
how to function on any specific system
Java applet: small Java-based program
Even though Java isn’t as fast as C++ it only needs to be compiled once, that’s why its special!

Web Applications: HTML/XHTML and Beyond

What is the most basic language for developing Web applications?
HTML: hypertext markup language and XHTML: extensible hypertext markup language have
tags that that control how a Web browser will display the text, images, and other contents

Are there tools that help programmers write in HTML and XHTML?
Adobe Dreamweaver and Microsoft Expression Web

Scripting Languages for the Web

Which programming languages do programmers use to make complex Web pages?
Use a scripting language: a simple programming language that is limited to formatting a set of
specialized tasks (ex. JavaScript, VBScript, and PHP)

JavaScript: a subset of Java

Are there other scripting languages beside JavaScript?

VBScript: a sunset of visual basic
Dynamic decision making: the page can decide how to display itself based on the choices the
reader makes

ASP, JSP, and PHP

How are interactive Web pages built?
Active Server Pages (ASP), Java Server Pages (JSP), or PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor)
Automatic writing in the custom HTML/XHTML page that is returned to the user’s computer
What does additional programming bring to a Web page?
Check boxes, filters and buttons
(ex. Browsing an online store)

Flash and XML

What if a programmer wants to create a Web page that includes sophisticated animation?
Adobe Flash: software product for developing Web-based multimedia

Flash includes its own script: ActionScript which is similar to JavaScript

Microsoft has released Silverlight
Other advances: AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML), allows the creation of Web
applications that can update information on a page without requiring the user to do a page
refresh or leave the page

Is HTML/XHTML the only markup language for the Web?

eXtensible Markup Language (XML): enables designers to define their own data-based tags,
making it much easier for a Web site to transfer the key information on its page to another site
XML allows for common tags to be used so that a Website could look up information from other
websites such as Stocks
The Next Great Language
What will be the next great language?
Language
Objective C an object-oriented C for Mac OS X

Will all languages someday converge into one?

There will be specific programs to make them run more efficiently

So what do I do if I want to learn languages that will be relevant in the future?

Depends on the demand
te n t en
summary

summary
chapter

the input data that users will have at the

start of the job, the output that the program

will produce, and the exact processing that

converts these inputs to outputs. In addition,

the problem statement identifies potential

errors and plans to address these errors.

4. How do programmers create

algorithms?

For simple problems, programmers create

an algorithm by converting a problem statement

into a list of steps (or actions) the program

will take. For more complex problems,

programmers must identify where decision

points occur in the list of steps. Some decisions

are yes/no (binary), whereas others

create a repeating action (loop). Algorithms

are documented in the form of a flowchart

or in pseudocode. Programmers use either

top-down or object-oriented analysis to

produce the algorithm.

5. How do programmers move from

algorithm to code, and in what

categories of language might they

code?

Computer code uses special words and strict

rules to enable programmers to control the

CPU without having to know all of its hardware

details. Programming languages are

classified in several major groupings, sometimes

referred to as generations, with the first

generation being machine language—the binary

code of 1s and 0s that the computer understands.

Assembly language is the next

generation; it uses short, English-like commands

that speak directly to the CPU and

give the programmer direct control of hardware

resources. Each successive generation

in language development has relieved programmers

of some of the burden of keeping

track of what the hardware requires and

more closely matches how humans think

about problems.

6. How does a programmer move from

code in a programming language

to the 1s and 0s the CPU can

understand?

Compilation is the process by which code is

converted into machine language, the language

the CPU can understand. A compiler

1. What is a system development life

cycle, and what are the phases in the

cycle?

An information system includes data, people,

procedures, hardware, and software.

Teams of individuals are required to develop

systems. Those teams need to follow

an organized process (or set of steps) to

ensure that development proceeds in an

orderly fashion. This set of steps is usually

referred to as the system development life

cycle (SDLC). There are six steps in the

SDLC waterfall model discussed earlier in

this chapter: (1) A problem or opportunity is

identified. (2) The problem is analyzed, and

a program specification document is created

to outline the project objectives. (3) A

detailed plan for programmers to follow

is designed using flowcharts and data-flow

diagrams. (4) Using this plan, the program

is developed and documented. (5) The

program is tested to ensure that it works

properly and is installed so that it can be

used. (6) Ongoing maintenance and

evaluation ensure a working product.

2. What is the life cycle of a program?

Each programming project follows several

stages from conception to final deployment.

The problem statement identifies the task to

be computerized and describes how the software

program will behave. An algorithm is

developed that specifies the sequence of

steps that the program must take to complete

the work. The algorithm is then translated

into highly structured programming

code. The code goes through the processes

of debugging, in which the programmers

find and repair any errors in the code; testing

by the programming team; and further

testing by the people who will use the program.

The results of the entire project are

documented for the users and the development

team. Finally, users are trained so that

they can use the program efficiently.

3. What role does a problem statement

play in programming?

The problem statement is an explicit

description of what tasks the computer

program must accomplish and how the

program will execute these tasks and

respond to unusual situations. It describes

is a program that understands both the syntax

of the programming language and the

exact structure of the CPU and its machine

language. It can translate the instructions

written by programmers in the higher-level

language into machine language, the binary

patterns that will execute commands on the

CPU. Each programming language has its

own compiler. Separate versions are required

to compile code that will run on each different

type of processor.

7. How is a program tested?

If programmers make errors in the algorithm

or in translating the algorithm to code,

problems will occur. Programmers debug

the program by running it constantly to find

errors and to make sure the program behaves

in the way it should. Once debugging

has detected all the code errors, users, both

within the company and outside the company,

test the program in every way they

can imagine—both as it was intended to be

used and in ways only new users may think

up. Before its commercial release, software is

often provided at a reduced cost or no cost

in a beta version to certain test sites or to interested

users for a last round of testing.

8. What steps are involved in

completing the program?

Once testing is complete, technical writers

create internal documentation for the program

and external documentation that will

be provided to users of the program. User

training, which begins once the software is

distributed, teaches the user community

how to use the software efficiently.

9. How do programmers select the right

programming language for a specific

task?

A programming team reviews several considerations

before selecting the language.

First, certain languages are best used with

certain problems. Second, the target language

should be well matched to the

amount of space available for the final program.

Third, some projects require the selection

of a language that can produce code

that executes in the fastest possible time.

Finally, selecting a language with which the

programmers are familiar is also helpful.

10. What are the most popular

programming applications for

Windows and Web applications?

Visual Basic, C/C++, and Java are languages

that enable programmers to include

Windows control features such as scroll

bars, title bars, text boxes, buttons, and

expanding and collapsing menus. Programmers

use HTML/XHTML tags to structure

for Web pages. For more complex Web

development, scripting programs such as

JavaScript and VBScript are popular. Web

page animations are done with ASP, JSP,

PHP, Flash, and XML.

507

te n t en
self-test

self-test
chapter

6. A yes/no decision point in an algorithm

is called

a. a loop.

b. a binary decision.

c. a test condition.

d. a control structure.

7. In object-oriented analysis, classes are

defined by their

a. objects and data.

b. data and methods.

c. operators and objects.

d. behaviors and keywords.

8. Which is NOT an advantage of Java?

a. Java is architecture neutral.

b. Java needs to compile only once

prior to distribution.

c. Java supports network

communications.

d. Java performs faster than C__.

9. Which is TRUE about XML?

a. XML supports the development

of rich multimedia.

b. XML makes it possible to update

Web pages without refreshing.

c. XML enables designers to define

their own data-based tags.

d. XML has classes that represent

drop-down lists and other Web

elements.

10. Which helps programmers write,

compile, and test programs?

a. IDE

b. RAD

c. JAD

d. PDLC

1. In the SDLC, which is the phase in

which the program specification is

developed?

a. Problem and opportunity

identification
b. Analysis

c. Design

d. Development and documentation

2. The step of the SDLC in which the

“make or buy” decision is made is the

a. problem and opportunity phase.

b. analysis phase.

c. design phase.

d. development and document

phase.

3. The steps that describe exactly what

the computer program must do to

complete the work is

a. a debugger.

b. a problem statement.

c. an algorithm.

d. the SDLC.

4. What do companies provide to repair

code errors for a program that has

been released to the public?

a. Beta versions

b. Service packs

c. Documentation updates

d. Maintenance programs

5. Which language is best for executing

numerically intensive calculations?

a. C/C__

b. Objective C

c. Java

d. ASP

510 Chapter 10 Behind the Scenes: Building Applications

Instructions: Answer the multiple-choice and true–false questions below for more

practice with key terms and concepts from this chapter.

Multiple Choice

True–False
___F_ 1. When producing the fastest executable program is essential, programmers use a

language with an interpreter.

___T_ 2. Companies release service packs to repair problems after software has been made

commercially available.

___F__ 3. Comments that programmers insert to explain the purpose of the code are written

in binary.

___F_ 4. Each step of the SDLC must be completed before moving on to the next.

___T_ 5. Programmers often use ActionScript to code prototypes for Windows applications.

Eleven: Behind the scenes: databases and information systems

Life without Databases

Database: collection of related data that can be easily stored, sorted, organized and queried

Ex. Facebook news feed and your specified filtering preferences to what you think is relevant

Should I use databases for managing all types of data?

Not every situation, if there isn’t that much information of sorted on a list already
When is a list not appropriate?

If complex information needs to be organized or more than one person needs access to it, a list
not an efficient solution

Ex. Your contact info. To others you know

What’s the problem with having two lists?

Data redundancy: retyping information ex. University student members who enrol every
semester

Data inconsistency: if information changes, multiple lists must be updated, and would be easy to
overlook some lists, or how a certain piece of information is entered psyc vs. psychology

Aside from data redundancy and inconsistency, are there any other problems with using
lists instead of databases?

Members might be logged twice, such as a billing

Can’t I just exercise caution and set rules for updating lists?

Still room for errors, inability of the data to be shared, data redundancy

How can I solve the problems associated with lists?

Databases

Advantages of Using Databases

How do databases make our lives easier?

They: enable information sharing, promote data integrity, and allow flexible use of data

How do databases make information sharing possible?

Provide data centralization, where there is no need for multiple lists

How do databases promote data-integrity?

Data integrity: data contained in the database is accurate and reliable

Data centralization: ensures data integrity, information is maintained only in one place

How do databases provide flexibility?

Many different users can access the data, and pull out required information accurately and
consistently

Are there any disadvantages associated with databases?

Databases are more complex to construct and administer

You may need a database administrator: an individual trained in the design and building of
databases to assist with the construction of large databases

Data privacy concerns ex. Social security #

Database Terminology

How is data stored in a database?

Fields, records, and tables/files

Fields

What is a field?

Field: a place where a database stores each category of information

They are displayed in columns, each field is identified by a field name

What are data types?

Data type (or field types): the assignment of field data

Text field: can hold any combination of alphanumeric data, but often used to hold words
Numeric fields: store numbers, and can be used to perform calculations
A computational field (or computed field): numeric field that stores the contents of a calculation
Date field: date such as birth days
Memo field: can hold long pieces of text
Object field: holds items such as pictures, video clips, or documents
Hyperlink field: stores hyperlinks to web pages

What is meant by field size?

Field size: defines the maximum number of characters or numbers that a field can hold (a 5 can
hold a 99999)
Records and Tables
What are records and tables in databases?
Record: a group or related fields (students identification information)
A group of related records is called a table (or file)

Primary Keys
Can fields have the same values in the same table?
Yes, two students live in the same town or have the same last name
Primary Key or key field: unique field

What makes a good primary key?

Driver’s license plate numbers

Database Types
Relational, object-oriented, and multidimensional
Relational is the most popular

Relational Databases
What is a relational database?
Relational database: organizes data in a table format by logically grouping similar data into a
relation (table that contains related data)
They are linked to each other by including their primary keys in other tables with related
information
Ex. 1 table has contact and id information of student, 2 table has class and courses enrolled in

Who invented the relational database?

E.F. Codd significantly refined the relational model in 1970

Object-Oriented Databases
What is an object-oriented database?
Object-oriented databases store data in objects, rather than in tables
Based on programming principles
They can process requests for information faster than can relational databases

Why would I use an object-oriented database?

Adept at handling unstructured data: includes non-traditional data such as audio clip, video
clips, pictures, and extremely large documents, this data is known as binary large object (BLOB)
because it is encoded in binary form
Many object-oriented databases use object query language (OQL), which is similar to SQL
(structured query language) a standard language used to construct queries to extract data from
databases

Multidimensional Databases
What is a multidimensional database?
Multidimensional database: stores data in more than two dimensional tables
In a cube format where each cube has a measure attribute: main type of data that the cube is
tracking
Other elements are known as feature attributes: which all describe the measure attribute in
some meaningful way
Each feature attribute could have different levels within
What are the advantages of multidimensional databases?
They can easily be customized to provide information to a variety of users (based on their
needs), and they can process data much faster than pure relational databases can
This database design is good for really large databases that offer instant customization to a
users needs ex. eBay

Database Management Systems: Basic Operations

Databases are created and managed using a data base management system (DBMS): specially
designed application software (ex. Oracle Database or Microsoft Access) that interacts with the
user, other applications and the database to capture and analyze data.

Four main operations of DBMS:

1. Creating databases and entering data
2. Viewing, and sorting data
3. Querying (extracting) data
4. Outputting data

Creating Databases and Entering Data

How do I exactly create a database with DBMS?
First define the field that must be captured, by using a description of the data
The description is contained in the data dictionary or database schema: which defines the
name, data type, and length of each field in the database

How do I know what fields are needed in my database?

Keep things separate, so they can be individually extracted later

What does a data dictionary look like, and how do I create one?
Microsoft Access: called Field Properties box
1. Field name
2. Define data type
 3. Set maximum field size
4. Set a default value for a field: the default value the field has unless the user enters
another value
Attributes such as field type and data are called metadata
Metadata: data that describes other data

What happens if I forgot to define a field in the data dictionary or if I want to add another
one later?
That’s fine; just make sure you have all the data together

Inputting Data
How do I get data into the database?
Input it

How can I make manual entry into a database more convenient?

Input form: provides a view of the data fields to be filled, with appropriate labels to assist
database users in populating the database
Data Validation
How can I ensure that only valid data is entered into the database?
Data validation: the process of ensuring that data entered into the database is correct and
complete
Validation rule: set up in a database to alert the user if a clearly wrong entry is entered in the
field (ex. 10 digit phone numbers)
Common types of validation checks include: range, completeness, consistency, and alphabetic
and number checks

How does a range check work?

Range check: ensures that the data entered into the database falls within a certain range of
numbers
Set a field constraint: (a property that must be satisfied for an entry to be accepted into the field)

What does a completeness check accomplish?

Completeness check: ensures that all fields defined as “required” have data entered into them

What is the function of a consistency check?

Consistency check compares the values of data in two or more fields to see if values are
reasonable (between different schools)

How are alphabetic and numeric checks used?

Alphabetic checks: confirms that only textual characters are entered in a field
Number checks: confirms that only numbers are entered in a field

Structured Query Language (SQL)

It uses relational algebra: use of English-like expressions that have variables include table
names, field names, or selection criteria for the data you wish to display
A select query displays a subset of data from a table based on the criteria you specify
Select (field name 1)
From (Table name)
Where (selection criteria)
(may need more detail)
Viewing and Sorting Data
How can I view the data in a data-base?
By browsing

How can I reorder records in a database?

Sort a database into the order that you need, the sort button on the top

What if I want to find a particular piece of data in a database?

Let you query data to enable you to find what you’re looking for

Extracting or Querying Data

What is a query?
Query: question or inquiry
Database query: a question that you ask the database so this provides you with records you
wish to view

Is querying a database as simple as just asking the proper question?

Modern DBMSs contain a query language, most popular language today is structured query
language or SQL

Do I have to learn a query language to develop queries for my database?

Query wizard, which helps you make appropriate SQL commands

Outputting Data
How do I get data out of a database?
Print it

Can I transfer data from a database to another software application?

Export data: putting data into an electronic file in a format that another application can
understand

Relational Database Operations

Relationship: a link between tables that defines how data is related
To establish a relationship between two tables both tables must have a common field

One-to-one relationship: a record in one table (parking space)

Many-to-many relationship: records in one table being related to multiple records in a second
table and vice versa

Normalization of Data
How do I decide which tables I need and what data to put in them?
Normalization of the data: recording the data only once

What can be done to fix the table in Figure 11.25

Only cut the table down to minimum class requirements

How do I get data in the tables to work together now that it is split up?
The tables must have a common field (column)
Foreign key: primary key of another table that is included for purposes of establishing
relationships with that other table, they contain the same data but not necessarily the same field
names

How do I ensure that a foreign key field contains a valid primary key from the related
table?
Enforce referential integrity: for each value in the foreign key of one table, there is a
corresponding value in the primary key of the related table (double checks whether its valid)

Who manages the data in a database?

Database administrators (DBAs) are the IT professionals responsible for designing constructing,
and maintaining databases, they make sure everything is running smoothly and use MySQL
Enterprise Dashboard screen which is a tool used to review the performance of a database

Data Storage
Small enterprises= 1 place is acceptable
Large multiple locations of your data= large data repositories called data warehouses and data
marts

Data Warehouses
What is a data warehouse?
Data warehouse: large-scale electronic repository of data that contain and organizes all the data
related to an organization in one place

Is data in a data warehouse organized the same way as in a normal database?

Its organized by subject (car insurance information vs. life insurance information in a policy
sales subject)

Alibaba is one of the world’s largest business to business database

Are data warehouses much larger than conventional databases?

Data warehouses are not operational in nature, but rather archival, the data is time-variant data:
the data doesn’t all pertain to one period in time (allows for the examination of the past and
present history of consumers purchasing patterns so that future predictions can be made)

Populating Data Warehouses

How are data warehouses populated with data?
From 3 sources: internet sources (company databases), external (suppliers, vendors), and
customers or visitors to a company’s website

Internal: includes spreadsheets and other ad hoc analysis tools that may contain data that
needs to be loaded into the warehouse

External: billing information, shipment methods

Customers: can be monitored through the clickstream of the company

What Is a clickstream, and why is it important?

Captures user information about each click the users make as they navigate through the
website, it helps managers asses the effectiveness of a Web site

Data Staging
Does all source data fit into the warehouse?
No two source databases are the same but in different formats

Data staging: formatting the information

Steps:
1. Extraction of the data from source data-bases
2. Transformation (reformatting) of the data
3. Storage of the data in the warehouse
The nature and complexity of the source data determines the complexity of the data staging
process

Once the data is stored in the data warehouse. How can it be extracted and used?
Querying, and to get better querying results:
Online analytical processing (OLAP) software provides standardized tools for viewing and
manipulating data in a data warehouse. OLAP tools enable flexible views of the data, which
software users can change easily

Data marts
Is finding the right data in a huge data warehouse difficult?
Data mart: small slices of a data warehouse, it pertains to information related to a single
department
Managing Data: Information Systems
Information system: software-based solution used to gather and analyze information (ex.
Amazon;s president)

Information systems fall into one of five catagories: office support, transaction-processing
systems, management information systems, decision support systems, enterprise resource
planning (ERP)

Office Support Systems

What does an office support system accomplish?
Office support system (OSS): designed to improve communications and assist employees in
accomplishing their daily tasks (ex. Microsoft Office: word processing spreadsheet database,
presentation programs)

Transaction-Processing Systems
What is a transaction-processing system?
Transaction-processing system (TPS): keeps track of everyday business activities (invoices,
transactions, useful for Universities)

How do transactions enter a TPS?

Manually, electronically (computerized) transactions are processed in batches or real time

What is batch processing?

Batch processing: means that transaction data is accumulated until a certain point is reached,
and the several transactions are processed all at once (more efficient with time when doing
physical work)
How does real-time processing work?
Real-time processing means that the database is queried and updates while the transaction is
taking place (seats available in a class)
Online transaction processing (OLTP) ensures that the data in the TPS is as current as possible

Management Information Systems

What is a management information system?
Management information system (MIS): provides timely and accurate information that enables
managers to make critical business decisions

What does an MIS provide that a TPS does not?

Detail report: provides a list of the transactions that occurred during a certain time period
Summary report: provides a consolidated picture of detailed data (show visual and calulations)
Exception report: shows conditions that are unusual or that need attention by users of the
system

Decision Support Systems

What is a decision support system?
Decision support system (DSS): designed to help managers develop solutions for specific
problems
What does a decision support system look like?

Internal and External Data Sources

What are internal and external data sources for decision support systems?
Internal: from the company
External: source not owned by the company

Model Management Systems

What function does a model management system perform?
Model management system: software that assists in building management models in DSSs
Model management tool: an analysis tool that through the use of internal and external data,
provides a view of a particular business situation for the purpose of decision making

Knowledge-Base Systems
What is a knowledge-based system, and how is it used in decision support systems?
Knowledge-based support system: provides additional intelligence that supplements the user’s
own intellect and makes the DSS more effective, it can be an expert system: tried to replicate
the decision-making process of human experts to solve specific problems
Another knowledge-base system is a natural language processing (NLP) system: enables users
to communicate with computer systems using a natural spoken or written language instead of
using a computer programming language (speaking to a computer, speech recognition)
All knowledge-based systems fall under AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI): branch f computer science to create computers that think like humans

How does a knowledge-based system help in the decision-making process?

Fuzzy logic: enables the interjection of experiential learning into the equation by considering
probabilities (ex. If Amazon sells a certain book it can suggest that those buyers will buy another
book at a 40% chance)

Enterprise Resource Planning Systems

What is an enterprise?
Enterprise: any business entity large or small
What does an enterprise resource planning system do?
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system: is a broaf based software system that integrates
multiple data sources and ties together the various processes of an enterprise to enable
information to flow more smoothly, they allow for a common database to store and integrate
information.
The objective of ERP systems is to accumulate all information relevant to running a business in
a central location and make it readily available to whoever needs that information to make
decisions

Data mining
Data mining: process by which great amounts of data are analyzed and investigated
The objective is to spot significant patterns or trends within the data that would otherwise not be
obvious

Why do businesses mine their data?

To understand their customers better

How do businesses mine their data?

Through:
Classification: analyze data, managers need to clarify it (ex. Good credit risks vs. bad credit
risks)
Estimation: the record either fits the classification criteria or it doesn’t
Affinity grouping (or association rules): managers can determine which data goes together
Clustering: involves organizing data into similar subgroups, or clusters, the data-mining software
makes the decisions and the managers determine whether the clusters are meaningful
Description and visualization: describe data so that managers can visualize it, and helps to
interpret in different and meaningful ways

e elevleen ven
summary

summary
chapter

Object-oriented databases store data in

objects, not in tables. The objects also

contain instructions about how the data is

to be manipulated or processed. Multidimensional

databases represent data in threedimensional

cubes to enable faster retrieval

of information from the database.

4. What do database management

systems do?

Database management systems (DBMSs) are

specially designed applications (such as

Oracle or Microsoft Access) that interact

with the user, other applications, and the

database itself to capture and analyze data.

The main operations of a DBMS are creating

databases, entering data, viewing (or browsing)

data, sorting (or indexing) data, extracting

(or querying) data, and outputting data.

A query language is used to extract records

from a database. Almost all relational databases

today use structured query language,

or SQL. However, most DBMSs include

wizards that enable you to query the

database without learning a query language.

The most common form of output for any

database is a printed report.

5. How do relational databases organize

and manipulate data?

Relational databases operate by organizing

data into various tables based on logical

groupings. Because not all of the data in a

relational database is stored in the same

table, a methodology must be implemented

to link data between tables. In relational

databases, the links between tables that

define how the data is related are referred to

as relationships. To establish a relationship

between two tables, both tables must have a

common field (or column). Once linked,

information can be drawn from multiple

tables through the use of queries (for onscreen

viewing of data) or report generators

(used to produce printed reports).

1. What is a database, and why is it

beneficial to use databases?

Databases are electronic collections of

related data that can be organized so that it

is more easily accessed and manipulated.

Properly designed databases cut down on

data redundancy and duplicate data by

ensuring relevant data is recorded in only

one place. This also helps eliminate data

inconsistency, which comes from having

different data about the same transaction

recorded in two different places. When

databases are used, multiple users can share

and access information at the same time.

Databases are used any time complex

information needs to be organized or more

than one person needs to access it. In these

cases, lists (which are used to keep track of

simple information) are no longer efficient.

2. What components make up a

database?

The three main components of a database

are fields, records, and tables. A category of

information in a database is stored in a field.

Each field is identified by a field name,

which is a way of describing the field. Fields

are assigned a data type that indicates what

type of data can be stored in the field.

Common data types include text, numeric,

computational, date, memo, object, and

hyperlink. A group of related fields is a

record. A group of related records is a table

or file. To keep records distinct, each record

must have one field that has a value unique

to that record. This unique field is a primary

key (or a key field).

3. What types of databases are there?

The three major types of databases currently

in use are relational, object-oriented, and

multidimensional. Relational databases are

characterized by two-dimensional tables of

data in which a common field is maintained

in each of two tables and the information

in the tables is linked by this field.

6. What are data warehouses and data

marts, and how are they used?

A data warehouse is a large-scale electronic

repository of data that contains and organizes

in one place all the relevant data related

to an organization. Data warehouses often

contain information from multiple databases.

Because it can be difficult to find

information in a large data warehouse, small

slices of the data warehouse called data marts

are often created. The information in data

marts pertains to a single department within

the organization, for example. Data

warehouses and data marts consolidate

information from a wide variety of sources

to provide comprehensive pictures of

operations or transactions within a business.

7. What is an information system, and

what types of information systems

are used in business?

Information systems are software-based

solutions that are used to gather and analyze

information. Information systems fall into

one of five categories. An office support system

(OSS) is designed to assist employees

summary
in accomplishing their day-to-day tasks and

improve communications. A transactionprocessing

system (TPS) is a system that is

used to keep track of everyday business

activities. A management information

system (MIS) provides timely and accurate

information that enables managers to make

critical business decisions. A decision support

system (DSS) is a system designed to

help managers develop solutions for specific

problems. An enterprise resource planning

(ERP) system is a large software system that

gathers information from all parts of a business

and integrates it to make it readily

available for decision making.

8. What is data mining, and how does it

work?

Data mining is the process by which large

amounts of data are analyzed to spot otherwise

hidden trends. Through processes such

as classification, estimation, affinity grouping,

clustering, and description (visualization),

data is organized so that it provides

meaningful information that can be used by

managers to identify business trends.

553

6. A(n) __________ database organizes

data in a cube format.
a. relational
b. object-oriented
c. rectangular
d. multidimensional
7. Which is NOT one of the four main
operations of a DBMS?
a. Consolidating data
b. Entering data
c. Sorting data
d. Querying data
8. Comparing data values to ensure reasonableness
is an example of a(n)
a. alphabetic check.
b. completeness check.
c. range check.
d. consistency check.
9. A data system that is a subset of a
larger system is known as (a)n
a. data mart.
b. office support system.
c. data warehouse.
d. transaction-processing system.
10. An electronic system used to keep
track of everyday business activities
is an example of a(n)
a. transaction-processing system.
b. decision support system.
c. expert system.
d. knowledge-based system.
1. Having the different birthdates for
the same person on two different lists
is an example of
a. data redundancy.
b. data inconsistency.
c. data disparity.
d. data duplication errors.
2. Which of the following is NOT one of
the three main advantages of using
databases?
a. Promotion of data integrity.
b. Data can be easily shared.
c. Elimination of data recording
errors.
d. Flexible use of data.
3. A group of related fields in a
relational database is called a
a. primary key. c. record.
b. field string. d. table.
4. An example of a good primary key
is a(n)
a. order number.
b. person’s first name combined
with their last name.
c. name of a pet.
d. street address.
5. A primary key
a. should always contain only
numbers.
b. is always unique for each record
in a database.
c. does not have to be unique for
every record in a database.
d. is only used in object-oriented
databases.
Instructions: Answer the multiple-choice and true–false questions below for more
practice with key terms and concepts from this chapter.
Multiple Choice
True–False
__F__ 1. A query is used to transfer information into a database.
__T__ 2. Completeness checks ensure that only reasonable data values are entered into a
database.
__F__ 3. Reducing incorrect or incomplete data by recording data in only one place is called
data optimization.
__T__ 4. An expert system attempts to replicate the decisions made by a live person.
__F__ 5. Data mining cannot be used to spot customer trends.

Chapter 12: behind the scenes

Networking and Security in the business world
Networking Advantages
Network: a group of two or more computer/nodes that are configured to share
information and resources

What advantages do businesses gain from network?

Networks increase productivity: sharing information, communicate them effectively
Networks enable expensive resources to be shared: share printers, which removes the
need for duplicate devices
Networks facilitate knowledge sharing: serve the needs of many people at one time and
increase the availability of data
Networks enable software sharing: installing a software on a network to avoid installing
the program on every computer
Networks facilitate Internet connectivity:
Networks enabled enhanced communication: social networking tools

Are there disadvantages of using networks?

They can be very complex
Personnel are usually required to maintain them: network administrators
Requires equipment and software

Client/Server Networks
Client/server networks contains severs as well as client computers, they are more
efficient and faster than P2P networks

Does my home network have a server?

No, its only P2P, the computers act as both clients and servers when appropriate

When shouldn’t peer-to-peer network be used?

When the network expands above 10 users, because it’s harder to control software
updates that are required, and the speed is reduced

Besides having a centralized server, what makes a client/server network different

from a peer-to-peer network?
Client/server networks have increased scalability
Scalability: more users be be added easily without affecting the performance of the
other network nodes

Peer-to-peer networks are decentralized

Decentralized: users are responsible for creating their own data backups and for
providing security for their computers

Client/server networks do all the tasks for the nodes, and that’s known as a centralized
method

Classifications of Client/Server Networks: LANs, WANs and MANs

LAN: house size
WAN: college size
MAN: city size

What sort of network connects devices such as smartphones and Bluetooth

headsets?
Personal area network: (PAN): network used to connect Bluetooth devices

What other sort of networks do businesses use?

Intranet: private network that is used exclusively by a select group of individuals
They use Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

Intranets are good for groupware

Extranet: only certain individuals or corporations can access it, a person can decide
who is permitted into the server
Extranets are useful for enabling electronic data change (EDI) which allows for the
change of large amounts of business data

What security tools do intranets and extranets use?

Virtual private network (VPN), they use special security technologies and protocols that
enhance security, enabling data to transverse the Internet as securely as if it were on a
private leased line

VPN needs tunnelling

Tunnelling: data packets are placed inside other data packets; the external packets are
encrypted and understood by sending and receiving hardware, this communication is
known as tunnel interface

Construction Client/Server Networks

Server: at least one computer on a client/server network
Networking topology: the layout and structure of the network
Transmission media: use cables for high throughput
Network operating system (NOS) software: usually already on the OS
Network adapter: all nodes on the network require adapters
Network navigation device: routers, switches, bridges are needed to move data signals
around the network

Servers
What types of servers are found on larger client/server networks?
Dedicated server: server used to fulfill one specific function, such as handling a gaming
server, they help with reducing the load on the main server

What are authentication and file servers?

Authentication server: server that keeps track of who is logging on to the network and
which services on the network are available to each user

File server: server that stores and manages files for network users

What functions do dedicated servers handle?

Any repetitive task: print, application, database, e-mail, communication, and Web
servers

Print Servers
How does a print server function?
Print servers: manage all client requested printing jobs for all printers on a network

How does the printer know which documents to print?

Print queue: software holding area for print jobs

Application Servers
What function does an application server perform?
Application server: acts as a repository for application software where it can be
accessed, updated, and upgraded

Database Servers
What does a database server do?
Database server: provides client computers with access to information stored in
database at the same time
E-mail Servers
How is e-mail handled on a large client/server network?
E-mail server: process and deliver incoming and outgoing e-mail (like a post carrier)

Communications Servers
What type of communications does a communications server handle?
Communications server: handles all communications between the network and other
networks, including managing Internet connectivity (heavy load, and usually only server
that requires internet)

Web Servers
What function does a Web server perform?
Web Server: host web sites so it will be available through the Internet
They run specialized software such as Apache HTTP server, and Microsoft Internet
Information Services (IIS) that enable them to host Web pages

Network Topologies
Network topologies: physical or logical arrangement of computers, transmission, media
(cable), and other network components

Physical topology: refers to the layout of the “real” components of the network
Logical topology: refers to the virtual connections among network nodes

Bus Topology
What does a bus topology look like?
Bus/linear bus topology: all computers are connected in sequence on a single cable,
this was most often deployed in P2P networks
Now legacy technology with wireless technology that it doesn’t support very well

Data collisions: happens when two computers send data at the same time and the sets
of data collide somewhere in the media, are problems on all networks

On bus topology’s data collusion was fairly common as one communication medium
was used

How does data get from point to point on a bus network?

When data is safe to send (no other computer is sending data), the sending computer
broadcasts the data onto the media
Data is broken down into packets, each packet contains the address of the computer it
is sending too, and the “hearing” computer takes in the data as it receives matching
address

Bus network is a passive topology as all the nodes listen for the right address
At the end of the bus network there is a terminator that absorbs a signal that didn’t go
through to a node
What are the advantages and disadvantages of bus networks?
Low cost, simplicity
Break in the medium causes communication disruptions

Ring Topology
What does a ring topology look like?
Ring/loop topology: data flows around a circle from device to device in one direction
Data packets are sent in token
Ring/loop is commonly called token-ring topology

How does a token move data around a ring?

Token is grabbed by a computer that needs to transmit data, the computer holds onto
the token until it has finished transmitting
Usually only one token is on a ring loop

Token method: when token is completed in transmission, the sending node creates a
new token

Ring topology: means that nodes participate in moving data through the network, large
networks have the capability to use multiple tokens to help move data faster

Is ring technology better than bus technology?

Offers equal chance for all nodes to send tokens, easier to expand than a bus, but if
one computer fails the whole network can fail
If a node must be added the whole network halts

Star Topology
What is the layout for a star topology?
Star topology: most widely deployed client/server network layout today
The nodes connect to a central communications device called a switch in a pattern
resembling a star, the switch receives a signal from the sending node and retransmits it
to the node on the network that needs to receive the signal

Star networks usually use the Ethernet protocol

Is the switch is broken the network stops working

Protocol: set of rules for exchanging communication

Ethernet protocol is a type of network topology, the communications protocol that can
be used in all 3 types of topologies

How do computers on a star network avoid data collisions?

CSMA/CD (carrier sense multiple access with collision detection)
It verifies that no other computer is transmitting data signals

What happens when the signal collide?

A computer in-between sends a jam signal to all networks alerting them that a collision
has occurred, the original computers that sent the data stop transmitting and wait a
random amount of time before retransmitting their data signals

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a star topology?

Easy to add nodes, nodes can be off for the whole network to work
Troubleshooting is easier with a switch

Disadvantages: cost used to be because of expensive cable

Comparing Topologies
What topology is the best one?

Can topologies be combined within a single network?

Hybrid topology

Transmission Media
Transmission media: comprises of the routes that data takes to flow between devices
on the network

Why are wired connections used in business networks?

Wired connections have higher throughput, and businesses use desktops that are
cheaper than notebooks

Wired Transmission Media

What types of cable are commonly used for network?
Home networks: twisted-pair cable
Business networks: twisted pair, coaxial, and fiber optic

What are the important factors in choosing a cable type?

Maximum run length
Bandwidth
Bend radius (flexibility)
Cable cost
Installation costs
Susceptibility to interference: electromagnetic interference (EMI), when the cable is
exposed to strong electromagnetic fields, radio frequency interference (RFI) (by
broadcast sources ex. TV, radio signals)
Signal transmission methods: light (fiber) or electric pulses (twisted pair, coaxial)

Twisted-Pair Cable
What does twisted-pair cable look like?
Twisted-pair cable: consists of pairs of copper wires twisted around each other and
covered by protective sheath
Shielded twisted-pair cable (STP): if the wire has a layer of foil around it
Unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable: if it doesn’t have a layer of foil around it

What type of UTP cable are available?

Category 6 (Cat 6)
Category 6a (Cat 6a)
Cat 6 can handle a bandwidth of 1 Gbps
Cat 6a 10 Gbps

Coaxial Cable
What does coaxial cable look like?
Coaxial cable: used for televisions: the core, solid layer of nonconductive insulating
material, layer of braided metal shielded covers the insulation from interference,
external jacket of light weight plastic covers the internal cable components

Fiber-Optic Cable
What does fiber-optic cable look like?
Fiber-optic cable: comprised of a glass or plastic fiber through which the data is
transmitted

How does fiber-optic cable differ from twisted-pair and coaxial cable?
Electric and light transmission of signals, the fiber-optic is not affected by EMI, and RFI
Wireless Media Options
What wireless media options are there?
Wireless media: usually add-ons that extend or improve access to a wired network

Are there standards defined for wireless communication?

802.11n standard

Comparing Transmission Media

So who decides which medium is best for client/server networks?
Network engineers: specialize in the design and deployment of networks and are
responsible for selecting network topology and media types

Network Operating Systems

Network operating system (NOS) needs to be installed on each client computer and
server

Do peer-to-peer networks need special NOS software?

No

How does NOS software differ from operating system software?

OS is designed to facilitate communication between the software and hardware
components of your computer

Windows Server 2008 R2 is NOS for servers in a client/server network

How does the NOS control network communications?
Each NOS has its own proprietary communications language, file management
structure, and device management structure, the NOS also sets the controls and
protocols

Proprietary networking protocols that exist: Novell Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX),
Microsoft NetBIOS Extended User Interface (NetBEUI), an Apple File Protocol (AFP)

Many companies just use TCP/IP protocol as standard

Can a network use two different NOSs?

Many large corporate networks use several different NOSs at the same time, for
different operating OS and some NOSs are good for certain things

Network Adapters
Network adapters: devices that perform specific tasks to enable computers to
communicate on a network, they are called network interface cards (NIC) on computers

What do network adapters do?

1. They generate high-powered signals to enable network transmissions

2. They are responsible for breaking the data into packets and preparing the
packets for transmission across the network
3. They act as gatekeeper for information flowing to and from the client computer

Are there different types of network adapters?

Ethernet compliant as it’s the standard, but you can get fiber optic cable inputs now as
well

Do wireless networks require network adapters?

Yes, wireless network interface cards (NIC)
The network must also have wireless access points
Wireless access point (WAP): gives wireless dives a sending and receiving connection
point to the network
Do network adapters require software?
Device driver: it enables the network adapter to communicate with the server’s
operating system and with the OS of the computer

What are my options if I’m not located in range of a wireless network?

Get an adapter from a wireless internet provider

Network Navigation Devices

MAC Addresses
How do data packets know where to go on the network?
Media access control (MAC) address ex. 01:40:87:44:79:A5
MAC addresses have six two position characters
The first three sets of character specify the manufacturer of the network adapters, the
second set of characters make up a unique address

Are MAC addresses the same as IP addresses?

No, MAC address is used for identification purposes internally on a network
IP address is the external address for the internet

How does a data packet get a MAC address?

Frame: container that can hold multiple data packets
NOS delivers a frame to the MAC address

What delivers the frames to the correct device on the network?

MAC address

Are MAC addresses useful for anything besides identifying a particular network
device?
They can be used to enhance network security
Only authorized MAC addresses can be allowed on a network

Switches and Bridges

Which devices are used to route signals through a single network?
Switch: makes decisions, based on the MAC address of the data, as to where the data
is to be sent and directs it to the appropriate network node

Do all networks need a switch?

On Ethernet networks

Are switches sufficient for moving data efficiently across all sizes of networks?
Larger networks need the network to be broken down into multiple segments known as
collision domains
Bridge: a device that is used to send data between these different collision domains

Routers
What device does a network use to move data to another network?
Router: looks at IP addresses

Network Security for Client/Server Networks

What sources of security threats do all network administrators need to watch for?
 Human errors and mistakes: deleting, and overwriting software and documents
 Malicious human activity: virus etc…
 Natural events and disasters: floods, fire

Who and what does a college network need to be secure against?

Hackers for information
Authentication
How does a college ensure that only authorized users access its network?
Authentication, login or possessed object (smart key)

How do most colleges handle authentication on their networks?

ID and password

Can hackers use my account to log on to the network?

Yes. Its impersonation
Hacker might use brute force attack

Access Privileges
How can I gain access to everything on the college network?
Unless you’re the admin

RFID: radio frequency identification tag

Could help consumers shop easier as the products with RFID tags can be scanned
automatically and the billing could be processed

How does restricting access privileges protect a network?

So users only stay where they are supposed to

Aside from improper access, how else do data theft and destruction occur?
Industrial espionage, stealing documents
Flash drives could have Trojan horses on them, and they could act as “skeleton keys” to
the company’s network
How should network administrators protect their networks from portable storage
devices?
1. Educate employees
2. Create policies regulating the use of media in the workplace
3. Install security measures such as firewalls and antivirus software
4. Lock USB drives: DeviceLock and Safend

Physical Protection Measures

Can any physical measures be taken to protect a network?
Lock all the physical network hardware away
Only access card readers can allow entrance into the room

Biometric authentication device, human biology to identify authorized users

Firewalls
Is the college Internet connection vulnerable to hackers?
Yes

Does the firewall on my college’s network work the same way as a personal
firewall installed on a home network does?
Use packet screening: makes sure data packets are valid by internal network users,
works also when data is leaving the network, to make sure no Trojan horses are
emitting data

What other security measures does the firewall on a client/server networks use?
Bastion host: heavily secured server located on a special perimeter network between
the company’s secure internal network and the firewall
If a hacker attacks a bastion host, the internal network is still safe, and the attack can be
detected

Bastion hosts are often configured as proxy servers

Proxy server: acts as a go-between, connecting computers on the internal network with
those on the external network
summary

chapter

4. What components are needed to

construct a client/server network?

Client/server networks have many of the

same components of peer-to-peer networks

as well as some components specific to

client/server networks, including servers,

a network topology, transmission media,

network operating system (NOS)

software, network adapters, and network

navigation devices.

5. What do the various types of servers

do?

Dedicated servers are used on large networks

to increase efficiency. Authentication

servers control access to the network and

ensure that only authorized users can log

on. File servers provide storage and management

of user files. Print servers manage

and control all printing jobs initiated on a

network. Application servers provide access

to application software (such as Microsoft

Office). Database servers store database files

and provide access to users who need the

information in the databases. E-mail servers

control all incoming and outgoing e-mail

traffic. Communications servers are used to

control the flow of information from the

internal network to outside networks (such

as the Internet). Web servers are used to host

a Web site.

6. What are the various network

topologies (layouts), and why is

network topology important in

planning a network?

In a bus topology, all nodes are connected to

a single linear cable. Ring topologies are

made up of nodes arranged roughly in a

circle. The data flows from node to node in a

specific order. In a star topology, nodes are

connected to a central communication

device (a switch) and branch out like points

of a star. A hybrid topology blends two or

more topologies in one network. Each

topology has its own advantages and

disadvantages. Topology selection depends

on two main factors: (1) the network budget,

and (2) the specific needs of network users

(such as speed or fair allocation of

resources).

1. What are the advantages of a

business network?

A network enables employees to communicate

with each other more easily, even over

large distances. Networks also enable

resources, such as printers, to be shared,

avoiding the cost of providing these

resources to individual employees. Software

can be deployed from a network server,

thereby reducing the costs of installation

on each user’s computer. Finally, networks

enable employees to share an Internet

connection, avoiding the cost of providing

each employee with a dedicated Internet

connection.

2. How does a client/server network

differ from a peer-to-peer network?

A client/server network requires at least one

server to be attached to the network. The

server coordinates functions such as file

sharing and printing. In a peer-to-peer

network, each node connected to the network

can communicate directly with every

other node on the network. In a client/

server network, a separate device (the

server) exercises control over the network.

Data flows more efficiently in client/server

networks than in peer-to-peer networks. In

addition, client/server networks have

increased scalability, meaning users can be

added to the network easily.

3. What are the different classifications

of client/server networks?

Local area networks (LANs) are small

groups of computers (as few as two) and

peripherals linked together over a small

geographic area. A group of computers on

the floor of the office building where you

work is most likely a LAN. Wide area

networks (WANs) comprise large numbers

of users (or of separate LANs) that are miles

apart and linked together. Corporations

often use WANs to connect two or more

branches (such as an office in California and

one in Ohio). Sometimes government organizations

or civic groups establish WANs to

link users in a specific geographic area (such

as within a city or county). These special

WANs are known as metropolitan area

networks (MANs).

7. What types of transmission media are

used in client/server networks?

In addition to wireless media, three main

cable types are used: twisted-pair cable,

coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable. Twistedpair

cable consists of four pairs of wires

twisted around each other to reduce

interference. Coaxial cable is the same type

of cable used by your cable TV company to

run a signal into your house. Fiber-optic

cable uses bundles of glass or plastic fiber to

send signals using light waves. It provides

the largest bandwidth but is expensive and

difficult to install. Wireless media uses radio

waves to send data between nodes on a

network.

8. What software needs to run on

computers attached to a client/server

network, and how does this software

control network communications?

Network operating system (NOS) software

needs to be installed on each computer and

server connected to a client/server network

to provide the services necessary for the

devices to communicate. The NOS provides

a set of common rules (called a protocol) that

controls communication between devices on

the network.

9. How do network adapters enable

computers to participate in a

client/server network?

Without a network adapter, a computer

could not communicate on a network. A

network adapter provides three critical

functions. First, it takes low-power data

signals generated by the computer and

converts them into higher-powered signals

that can traverse network media easily.

summary
Second, it breaks the data generated by

the computer into packets and packages

them for transmission across the network

media. Last, it acts as a gatekeeper to

control the flow of data to and from the

computer.

10. What devices assist in moving data

around a client/server network?

Switches are devices that read the addresses

of data packets and retransmit a signal to its

destination instead of to every device connected

to the switch. Bridges are devices

used to send data between two different

segments (collision domains) of the same

network. Routers are used to route data

between two different networks (such as between

a corporate network and the Internet).

11. What measures are employed to keep

large networks secure?

Access to most networks requires authentication

procedures (such as having users

enter a user ID and password) to ensure that

only authorized users access the network.

The system administrator defines access

privileges for users so that they can access

only specific files. Network equipment is

physically secured behind locked doors,

which are often protected by biometric authentication

devices. Biometric devices, such

as fingerprint and palm readers, use unique

physical characteristics of individuals for

identification purposes. Firewalls are

employed to keep hackers from attacking

networks through Internet connections.

Packet screeners review traffic going to and

from the network to ascertain whether the

communication was generated by a

legitimate user.

Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following is not an advantage

of installing a client/server

network in a college?

a. Increased scalability

b. Decentralization of network

security protection
c. Sharing of files and data

d. Sharing of peripherals

2. Which is not a reason why client

server networks are usually installed

in large businesses?

a. Peripherals can’t be shared on

peer-to-peer networks.

b. Dedicated servers make large

networks more efficient.

c. Client/server networks are more

scalable than peer-to-peer

networks.

d. Client/server networks feature

centralized security.

3. When networks are deployed at two

college campuses 30 miles apart, the

networks would be classified as a

a. WAN. c. PAN.

b. MAN. d. LAN.

4. Which of the following is not necessary

in every client/server network?

a. Network adapters

b. Database server

c. Transmission media

d. NOS software

5. To provide for sharing of an Internet

connection, which server would a

corporate network include?

a. Database

b. Authentication

c. Communications

d. Application

6. Which type of network topology

favors equal access among nodes?

a. Star c. Ring

b. Ethernet d. Bus

7. Fiber-optic cable most likely would

be used in a corporate network

when

a. cost is more important than speed.

b. electrical or magnetic interference

is not present.

c. short cable runs are required.

d. speed is more important than

cost.

8. NOS software is

a. needed on all computers in a

client/server networks.

b. needed only on the servers in a

client/server network.

c. needed only on client computers

in a client/server network.
d. needed only when configuring a

network in a ring topology.

9. On client server networks, switches

a. transfer data between two

networks.

b. route date between two collision

domains on a single network.

c. move data efficiently from node

to node on the network.

d. necessary only in networks using

the ring topology.

10. Providing adequate security on a

corporate network involves all of

these issues, except

a. authentication.

b. packet screening.

c. deploying a bastion host.

d. installing NOS blocking software.

True–False
___T_ 1. Bridges are used to route data between two or more network collision domains.

___T_ 2. Two different types of network topologies can be deployed on the same network.

___F_ 3. Twisted pair cable is never susceptible to magnetic interference.

__F__ 4. Client/server networks are less scalable than peer-to-peer networks.

___F_ 5. A communication server is used to control access on a client/server network.

Thirteen behind the scenes: how the internet works

The Management of the Internet

Who owns the Internet?

No one, but Government entities like NASA own part of the communications infrastructure

Does anyone manage the Internet?

Non-profit organizations

Who pays for the Internet?

Me and you!

The National Science Foundation (NSF) still pays for a large portion of the Internet’s
infrastructure and funds research and development of new technologies

Internet Networking

Connecting to the Internet

How are computers connected to the Internet?

Internet backbone: fastest data routes for the internet

How do the ISPs that form the Internet backbone communicate?

T line: carried digital data over twisted-pair wires

Backbone is now typically an optical carrier (OC) line

How are the ISPs connected to each other?

Network access points (NAPs): they were designed to move large amounts of data quickly
between networks

Internet exchange point (IXP): data-exchange system by private-sector companies

IXPs reduce costs and improve speed with these networks

How do individuals connect to an ISP?

Point of presence (POP): bank of modems, servers, routers, and switches

The Network Model of the Internet

What type of network does the Internet use?

Client/server model

Web server

Commerce server

File server

Do all Internet connections take place in a client/server mode?

Peer-to-peer model, bit torrent

Your computer acts as a client, the tracker makes your computer aware of other users running
Bit Torrent software who have pieces of the file (called seeding), your computer requests the file
from a group of users (called a swarm), the computers transmit the pieces of the file

Data Transmission and Protocols

Why were Internet protocols developed?

Open system: its design would be made public access by any interested party

Were there problems developing an open system Internet protocol?

Developing a new communication method other than circuit switching

Circuit switching: a dedicated connection is formed between two points, and the connection
remains active for the duration of the transmission

This is inefficient with computers, as computers transmits data in a group (or burst) which has
moments of inactivity

Packet Switching

Is they can’t use circuit switching, what do computers use to communicate?

Packet switching: communications methodology that makes computer communication efficient

with data being sent in packets or a data packet

What information does a packet contain?

Packets contain:

1. an address to which the packet is being sent

2. the address from where the packet originates
3. reassembling instructions if the original data was split between packets
4. the data that is being transmitted
 5.

Why do packets take different routes, and how do they decide which routes to use

Routers that connect ISPs decide which is the most efficient route

TCP/IP

What protocol does the Internet use for transmitting data?

TCP/IP: transmission control protocol and Internet protocol

Which particular protocol actually sends the information?

IP: internet protocol

IP Addresses and Domain Names

IP Addresses

What is an IP address?

Unique identification number that defines each computer, service, or other device that connects
to the Internet

IP addresses must be registered with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers (ICANN)

What does an IP address look like?

Dotted decimal number

Will we ever run out of IP addresses?

Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) was created

Classless interdomain routing (CIDER): allows a single IP address to represent several unique
IP addresses by adding a network prefix (a slash and number at the end of the last octet

206.13.01.48/25, “/25” is the network prefix.

It indicates that the first 25 bits are used as

the unique network identifier;

Are there other Internet addressing systems?

Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6): uses 8 groups of 16-bit numbers which is hexadecimal
notation

How does my computer get an IP address?

Static and dynamic addressing

How exactly are dynamic addresses assigned?

Dynamic addressing is normally handled by the dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP)
which belongs to the TCP/IP protocol suite

The ISP gives the user an IP address from a pool of available addresses

Connection-oriented protocol: two computers set-up the parameters before exchanging data this
is known as handshaking

TCP uses a three-way handshake to establish a connection

What are the benefits of dynamic addressing?

More secure environment by keeping address different

Domain Names

I’ve been on the Internet, so why have I never seen IP addresses?

English is easier to remember and understand domain names (ex. Yahoo.com)

How are domains organized?

Top-level domain (TLD) are standardized pools that have been established by ICANN

Second-level domain: unique within its own top-level

Who controls domain name registration?

ICANN had VeriSign to oversee each TLD and domain name registrar for the .com and .net
domains

DNS Servers

How does my computer know the IP address of another computer?

The URL must be converted into an IP address, to do this the computer consults a database
that is maintained on a DNS (domain name system) server that functions like a phone book for
the Internet

If the search fals the ISP’s Web server will contact one of 13 root DNS servers, each DNS
server knows the location of all the DNS servers that contain the master listings for an entire
top-level domain, and the computer stores the DNS server in its cache for future use

Other Protocols: FTP and Telnet

File Transfer Protocol

How does FTP work?

File transfer protocol (FTP): enables users to share files that reside on local computers with
remote computers
Can you upload files with FTP?

Most FTP sites allow you to upload files, you need a browser that handles FTP transfers or you
need to obtain an FTP client application

Telnet

What is Telnet?

Telnet: both a protocol for connecting to a remote computer and a TCP/IP service that runs on a
remote computer to make it accessible to other computers

Telnet enables you to take control of remote computer (the server) with your computer (the
client) and manipulate files and data on the server as if the server were your own computer.
Used in school networks

How do you use Telnet?

Address, login information

Type “open” of the remote computer

HTTP, HTML, and Other Web Jargon

WWW is actually a group of protocols and software that resides on the Internet

The Web provides an engaging interface for exchanging graphics, video, animations, and other
multimedia over the Internet
HTTP and SSL

Which Internet protocol does a browser use to send requests?

HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

Hypertext documents are documents in which texts linked to other documents or media (video
clips)

When the browser sends a request, does it do anything to make the information secure?

HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)

Transport layer security (TLS) and the secure socket layer (TLS) are two protocols that provide
data integrity an security for transmissions over the Internet

HTML/XHTML

How are Web pages formatted?

HTML tagging ex. <b>, where it surrounds an element of text

They are set of rules from marking up blocks of text so that a browser knows how to display
them

Can you see the HTML/XHTML coding of a Web page?

Yes, go to view source on the web browser

XML

How is XML different from HTML/XHTML?

Users can build their own markup languages to accommodate particular data formats and
needs

How has XML influenced other Web page developments?

Mathematical Markup Language (MathML), used to describe mathematical symbols and
formulas

The Common Gateway Interface

Can you use HTML/XHTML to make a Web page interactive?

No they were just used for text based arrangements not interactivity

Common gateway interface (CGI) provides a methodology for which your browser can request
for a program to be executed instead of just being delivered to the browser

CGI programs can be made in almost any programming language

Perl, C, C++

How are CGI programs executed?

All programs are placed in a Cgi-bin directory, which the web site knows that these are
programs that must be executed

This runs on a Web Server rather than inside your browser, it is referred to as a server-side
program
Dynamic HTML

Can Web pages be made more interactive without accessing Web servers?

Dynamic HTML (DHTML) is a combination of technologies HTML/XHTML that is used to create

lively and interactive Web sites

These websites require plug-ins

AJAX facilitates Web application creation, and doesn’t require Web site refreshment for
updating

What is JavaScript?

Application language within HTML/XHTML

How can you easily change the formatting of HTML/XHTML elements?

Cascading style sheet (CSS) is a list of statements that defines in one single location how to
display HTML/XHTML elements

Where does the cascading come in?

With a hierarchy of rules such as background color, the “cascade” of style are ranked according
to their assigned weights

How are the individual components of a Web page organized?

Document object model (DOM) to organize the objects and page elements

Client-Side Applications

Aside from CGI scripts, are there other ways to make a Web site interactive?

Client-side program that has the program running on the client server

The code must be embedded into the HTML/XHTML code using an HTML/XHTML embedded
scripting language
Most populat is JavaScript

Second is an apple, which is Java language

Communications over the Internet

E-mail

Who invented e-mail?

Ray Tomlinson

How does e-mail travel the Internet?

Simple mail transfer (SMTP): responsible for sending e-mail along the Internet to its destination

Where are e-mail servers located?

e-mail ISP e-mail server

If e-mail was designed for text messages, why are we able to send files as attachments?

Uuencode and uudecode were the most popular programs used for encoding and decoding
binary files

1990’s the multipurpose Internet mail extensions (MIME) specification was introduced in 1991 to
simplify attachments

E-mail Security: Encryption and Specialized Software

If e-mail is sent in regular text, can other people read my e-mail?

How do you encrypt e-mail?

Encryption: refers to the process of coding you e-mail so that only the person with the key to
code can decode and read the message

Two types:

Private-key encryption: between two parties, where there is a simple shift of letter to new
positions

Public-key encryption: two keys known as a key pair are created, the key for coding is generally
a public key, and the person who wants to open the code can message you asking for the code

When you receive the message you use your private key to decode it
What type of encryption is used on the Internet?

Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) are tried and true public-key packages

What does a key look like?

A key is a binary number, 10-bit key has 10 positions and might look like: 1001101011

Is a private key really secure?

Yes, its impossible to deduce the private key from the public key, but it can be hacked using
brute force

What is considered a safe key?

128-bit key

What is an easy way for me to try encrypted e-mail?

Many e-mail providers have built in encryption

Hushmail, Comodo SecureEmail

How do businesses protect e-mail?

Securus Systems Ltd. Have developed secure data transmission software that works outside
the conventional SMTP mail servers

How is SafeMessage Software used?

A safe point to point connection is established between the sender’ and recipient’s e-mail boxes

Instant Messaging

What do you need to run instant messaging?

You need a client program to do this

How does instant messaging work?

Is sending an instant message secure?

They’re vulnerable to eavesdropping

A packet “sniffer” listens in

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

What is Voice over Internet Protocol?

What’s good about VoIP?

Cheaper

How does VoIP work?

How are VoIP security issues being handled?

Firewall, antivirus

Using the Internet to Deliver Computer Services

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing: using the internet to deliver business services online

Why would a company need cloud computing?

Because its cheaper than doing the stuff yourself

What types of businesses can benefit the most from cloud computing?

Businesses that need to process large amounts of data every once in a while

Is it safe to rely on other companies to process sensitive data?

You have to evaluate the company

th i t hrteiernteen
summary

summary
chapter

4. Why are IP addresses and domain

names important for Internet

communications?

An IP address is a unique number assigned

to all computers connected to the Internet.

The IP address is necessary so that packets

of data can be sent to a particular location

(computer) on the Internet. A domain name

is merely a name that stands for a certain IP

address and makes it easier for people to

remember it. For example, MyWebPage.com

is a domain name and is much easier to remember

than the IP address 124.53.111.14.

DNS servers act as the phone books of the

Internet. They enable your computer to find

out the IP address of a domain by looking

up its corresponding domain name (which

you typed into your browser).

5. What are FTP and Telnet, and how

do you use them?

The file transfer protocol (FTP) enables users

to share files that reside on local computers

with remote computers. Current versions of

browsers enable you to connect to FTP sites

on the Internet to facilitate downloading or

uploading files to and from FTP sites. Telnet

is both a protocol for connecting to a remote

computer and a TCP/IP service that runs on

a remote computer to make it accessible to

other computers. Telnet enables you to take

control of a remote computer (the server)

with your computer (the client) and manipulate

files and data on the server as if you

were sitting in front of that server.

6. What are HTML/XHTML and XML

used for?

The HyperText Markup Language (HTML)

is a set of rules for marking up blocks of text

so that a browser knows how to display

them. Most Web pages are generated with at

least some HTML code. Blocks of text in

HTML documents are surrounded by a pair

of tags (such as <b> and </b> to indicate

bolding). These tags and the text between

them are referred to as elements. By examining

the elements, your browser determines

how to display them on your computer

screen. Because HTML was not designed for

information exchange, eXtensible Markup

Language (XML) was created. Instead of

1. Who owns, manages, and pays for the

Internet?

Management of the Internet is carried out

by several nonprofit organizations and

user groups such as the Internet Society

(ISOC), the Internet Engineering Task

Force (IETF), the Internet Architecture

Board (IAB), the Internet Corporation for

Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN),

and the World Wide Web Consortium

(W3C). Each group has different responsibilities

and tasks. Currently, the U.S.

government (and subsequently the U.S.

taxpayer) funds a majority of the

Internet’s costs.

2. How do the Internet’s networking

components interact?

Individual computers or networks connect

to the Internet using Internet service

providers (ISPs). These providers vary in

size and work like the physical highway

system. The largest paths, along which

data travels the most efficiently and

quickly, make up the Internet backbone.

Homes and all but the largest businesses

connect to the Internet through these regional

or local connections, which then

connect to the Internet through the entities

that make up the Internet backbone. The

largest businesses, educational centers, and

some government agencies such as NASA

make up the Internet backbone.

3. What data transmissions and

protocols does the Internet use?

Data is transmitted along the Internet

using packet switching. Data is broken

up into discrete units known as packets,

which can take independent routes to the

destination before being reassembled.

Although many protocols are available

on the Internet, the main suite of protocols

used to move information over the Internet

is TCP/IP. The suite is named after the

original two protocols that were developed

for the Internet: the Transmission Control

Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol

(IP). Whereas TCP is responsible for

preparing data for transmission, IP

actually sends data between computers

on the Internet.

chapter

locking users into standard tags and formats

for data, XML enables users to create their

own markup languages to accommodate

particular data formats and needs. XML is

used extensively in e-commerce for exchanging

data between corporations.

7. How do e-mail, instant messaging,

and Voice over Internet Protocol

work, and how is information using

these technologies kept secure?

Simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) is the

protocol responsible for sending e-mail over

the Internet. As is true of most other Internet

applications, e-mail is a client/server application.

E-mail passes through e-mail servers

whose functions are to store, process, and

send e-mail to its ultimate destination. ISPs

and portals such as Yahoo! maintain e-mail

servers to provide e-mail functionality to

their customers. Your ISP’s e-mail server

uses DNS servers to locate the IP addresses

for the recipients of the e-mail you send.

Encryption software, such as Pretty Good

Privacy (PGP), is used to code messages so

that they can be decoded only by the

authorized recipients.

8. How do businesses use the Internet

to reduce computing costs?

Many businesses are taking advantage of

cloud computing to reduce costs. Cloud computing

refers to business services provided

online by other companies and delivered to

a customer through the Internet. These

services were formerly delivered locally by

company-owned IT departments. A

company might use Amazon.com’s cloud

computing servers, for example, to store

their data instead of purchasing and

installing their own servers. Cloud

computing initiatives, while cost effective,

generate data security concerns because a

third party is managing sensitive data.

7.Individuals connect to the Internet

using
a. points of presence.

b. network access points

c. Internet exchange points.

d. Web servers.

8. Encryption of Internet e-mail

a. requires the use of specially

designed client software.

b. is built into the SMTP protocol.

c. is built into most Web-based

e-mail.

d. is prohibited by the Department

of Homeland Security.

9. For what is PGP used?

a. Creating a secure connection

between client and server

b. Loading Web pages into a

browser

c. Encrypting e-mail messages

d. Uploading files to the Internet

10. Which is a key component of cloud

computing?

a. Increase in IT employee

headcount

b. Decreased computing start-up

costs

c. Delivery of offline computing

services

d. Difficulty in increasing

computing capacity

1. Which is a common protocol used on

the Internet?

a. DNS c. XHTML

b. IP d. PGP

2. Data is sent over the Internet using

a. circuit switching.

b. protocol switching.

c. DNS switching.

d. packet switching.

3. A numeric IP address is usually

represented by an alphanumeric

a. URL.

b. SMTP.

c. routing address.

d. DNS address.

4. IP addresses that are assigned by an

ISP and do not change over long

periods of time are

a. called static.

b. more secure.

c. called dynamic.

d. volatile.

5. Which is the primary Internet protocol

used for viewing Web pages?

a. JavaScript

b. Telnet

c. HTTP

d. TCP/IP

6. What makes interactivity on the Web

possible?

a. HTML c. FTP

b. CGI d. XML

640 Chapter 13 Behind the Scenes: How the Internet Works

Instructions: Answer the multiple-choice and true–false questions below for more

practice with key terms and concepts from this chapter.

Multiple Choice

True–False
__F__ 1. The costs associated with running the Internet are paid primarily through ISPs

collecting fees from customers and from funding by U.S. government agencies.

__T__ 2. VoIP uses packet switching technology.

_F___ 3. A computer needs the XML address to locate a Web page accurately.

___F _ 4. The main suite of protocols used on the Internet is TCP/FTP.

___F_ 5. Instant messages are generally secure because it provides a message encryption
software

The History of the PC

The first personal computer: The Altair

Altair 8800 first personal computer for $395 or $498 for already built, just had 256bytes of
memory

Worked by entering strings of 1’s and 0’s by flashing lights on the front
Bill Gates and Paul Allen created a program that translates user commands into commands that
the computer can understand (compiling program). Which they sold to Ed Roberts the Altair
developer, The boys later created Microsoft

The Apple 1, and 11

Steve Wozniak who brought his computer ideas ad prototypes to the Homebrew Computing
Club in Palo Alto

Steve Jobs liked Woz’s ideas and they created the Apple 1.

1976 the Apple Computer Company

1977 Apple 2 was born, it had ROM instead of RAM which didn’t require the whole start up to be
rewritten, it was also easier to program for computer enthusiasts

Apple 3 made in 1980, had word processor, spreadsheet, and desktop publishing software

Steve Jobs called the company Apple because it was the perfect fruit it was high in nutrients,
and not easily damaged

Enter the Competition

Commodore, Radioshack, and IBM

Commodore PET and TRS-80

Commodore PET 2001 Jan 1977

TRS-80 1977, 4kb of memory , nicknamed trash-80

The Osborne

Created the first portable computer in April 1988, because it was portable it was an instant
success

Included 64kb of memory, had floppy disk drives, word processing, and spreadsheet

The successor called the executive decreased sales of the Osborne, and the Compaq company
bought Osborne design.

IMB PCs

Started with large mainframe computers for corporations in 1980, and then created its first
personal computer named the IBM PC, where the PC term became the term to describe all
personal computers.
The IBM Pc dominated the field in Jan. 1983.

IBM Pc was the first “man of the year” by Times Magazine

Other Important Advancements

The Important of Basic

Starting languages of: Fortran, Algol, and Cobol which were used to created business financial,
statistical, and engineering programs

Beginner All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code (BASIC) was created in 1964. It allowed for an
easy way for early programmers to learn programming. Bill Gates wrote his Altair program with
it.

The Advent of Operating Systems

Steve Wozniack created the Disk 2, floppy disk in 1978

First Apple Computers ran The Control Program for Microcomputers (CP/M), founded by Gary
Kildall

PC’s ran Disk Operating Systems (DOS)

Microsoft created the MS-DOS for IBM computers, which was based on Quick and Dirty
Operating System (QDOS)

The Software Application Explosion: VisiCalc and Beyond

Dan Brinklin and Bob Frankston created the program VisiCalc, a spreadsheet program

Later came Lotus 1-2-3 in 1983

Micosoft Excel 1985

Word Processor, WordStar came out in 1979

Word Perfect, Word for MS-DOS also came in

The Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Desktop for computers, Apple got in on it first

Xerox

Xerox worked on the Alto computer which worked on a What you see is what you get
(WYSIWYG) principle, which had files and folders to organize file management. It created the
Star Office System but it was too expensive for anyone to buy.

The Lisa and Macintosh

The Microsoft computer with a GUI interface

Apple created a cheaper one called the Macintosh, also had smaller floppy drives

The Internet Boom

Now it was easy to work on computers with a GUI, and people plunged into the attraction of the
internet boom in 1993

Microsoft created Internet Explorer in 1995, in Windows 95

Silicon Graphics Inc. by Andreessen created the Netscape commercial Web browser, but it was
later pushed out of business from Microsoft

Making the PC Possible: Early Computers

The Pascalene Calculator and the Jacquard Loom

The Pascalane was the first accurate calculator created by Blaise Pascal in 1642, it could do all
simple calculation (+-/*)

200 Years later Joseph Jacquard created the Jacquard Loom which was an automated weaving
complex that relied on punch card process, which was adopted later on for computers

Babbage’s Engine

Charles Babbage in 1834 designed the first automatic calculator called the Analytical Engine.

Babbage was called the father of computing, as his computer had the Ram and processing
capabilities

The Hollerith Tabulating Machine

Herman Hollerith in 1890, used Jacquard’s punch card concept and apply it to the machine
Hollerith Tabulating Machine, and started the IBM company (international business machines)
because of its success.

The Z1 and the Atanasoff-Berry Computer

Konrad Zuse created the Z1 in 1936, had control unit and separate memory functions

Late 1939 John Atanasoff built the first electrically powered digital computer called the
Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC), first to use vacuum tubes instead of switches to store data,
first to use a binary system, have memory that repowered itself upon booting.

The Harvard Mark 1

Howard Aiken and Grace Hopper designed the Mark between 1930’s and 1950. It could do all
four arithmetic operations (+-/*)
Hopper inventor the compiler a program that translates English language instructions into
computer language, he was the first to “debug” a computer when a moth that has flown into the
computer.

The Turing Machine

In 1936 Alan Turing created the hypothetical model that mathematically designed a mechanical
procedure or algorithim. The concept could read, write, and erase symbols written on squares of
infinit tape, this was he precursor to todays RAM.

The ENIAC

The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), a machine used by the army to
calculate the settings used to weapons. It was created by John W. Mauchly and J.Presper
Eckert. It was big and clumsy it used a lot of vacuum tubes and square feet. It was used until
1955.

The UNIVAC

The Universal Automatic Computer completed in 1951 and manufactured by Remington Rand.
It ran on magnetic tape rather than punch cards. It became popular by predicting the outcome of
the Stevenson-Eisenhower presidential race. After that it was considered first-generation
computers and was the last to use computer vacuum tubes to store data.

The Transistors and Beyond

Scientists at the Bell Telephone Laboratories in New Jersey created the transistor which was
other means of storing data. Computers that used these were considered second generation
computers.

In 1958 Jack Kilby invented the first integrated circuit, which had many small transistors within it,
making the computers smaller and lighter. The computers with circuits were considered third
generation computers.

In 1971 Intel created a microprocessor chip, which contained millions of transistors; it was the
CPU or brains of the computer. These computers were considered fourth generation computers

Multiple Choice:

1. What was the name of the first Web browser?

a. Mosaic c. Netscape
b. Internet Explorer d. Firefox
2. Which programming language revolutionized the
software industry?
a. ALGOL c. COBOL
b. BASIC d. FORTRAN
3. Why was the invention of the integrated circuit
important?
a. It enabled computers to store more data.
b. It enabled monitors to display a better image.
c. It enabled more processing memory.
d. It enabled computers to become smaller and lighter.
4. Which computer is touted as the first personal
computer?
a. Altair c. Lisa
b. Commodore PET d. Osborne
5. What was the importance of the Turing machine to
today’s computers?
a. It described a system that was a precursor to
today’s notebook computer.
b. It was the first electronic calculator and a precursor
to the computer.
c. It was the first computer to have a monitor.
d. It described a process to read, write, and erase
symbols on a tape and was the precursor to today’s
RAM.
6. Which computer first stored its operating system in
ROM?
a. Apple I c. Lisa
b. Apple II d. Macintosh
7. What was the first word processing application?
a. Lotus 1-2-3 c. WordPerfect
b. Word for MS-DOS d. WordStar
8. Which components are characteristic of secondgeneration
computers?
a. Transistors
b. Vacuum tubes
c. Integrated circuits
d. Microprocessor chips
9. For what is the Atanasoff-Berry Computer best
known?
a. It was the first computer used to tabulate U.S.
census data.
b. It was the first computer to use the binary system.
c. It was the first computer to incorporate the punchcard
system.
d. It was the first computer used as a mechanical
calculator.
10. Who are the founders of Microsoft?
a. Paul Allen and Bill Gates
b. Bill Gates and Steve Wozniak
c. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates
d. Bill Gates and Gary Kildall