Computing Essentials Chapter 1 PDF

chapter 1 Information Technology, the Internet, and You Sergey Nivens/Shutterstock  Why should I read this chapter? The future of computers and digital technology prom-...

chapter 1 Information Technology, the Internet, and You Sergey Nivens/Shutterstock  Why should I read this chapter? The future of computers and digital technology prom- ises exciting challenges and opportunities. Powerful software and hardware systems are changing the way people and organizations interact in their daily life and on the Internet. This chapter introduces you to the skills and con- cepts you need to be prepared for this ever-changing digital world, including: Information systems—how the critical parts of tech- nology interact. HQuality/Shutterstock Efficiency and effectiveness—how to maximize the use of technology. Privacy, ethics, and environment—how to integrate technology with people. Software, hardware, and data—understand the technology used in information systems. Connectivity and cloud computing—how the Internet, the web, and the wireless revolution are changing how we communicate and interact. Learning Objectives After you have read this chapter, you should be able to: 1 Explain the parts of an information system: people, procedures, software, hardware, data, and the Internet. 2 Distinguish between system software and application software. 3 Differentiate between the three kinds of system software programs. 4 Define and compare general-purpose, specialized, and mobile applications. 5 Identify the four types of computers and the five types of personal computers. 6 Describe the different types of computer hardware, including the system unit, input, output, storage, and communication devices. 7 Define data and describe document, worksheet, database, and presentation files. 8 Explain computer connectivity, the wireless revolution, the Internet, cloud computing, and loT. 3 Introduction “ Welcome to Computing Essentials. I’m Katie, and this is Alan, we work in information technology. On the following pages, we’ll be The purpose of this book is to help you become a highly efficient and effective computer user. This includes how discussing some of the most exciting new developments in to use (1) apps and application software; (2) all types of computer technology, including smartphones, tablets, and cloud computing. Let me begin this chapter by giving you an overview of computer hardware, including mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops; and (3) the Internet. the book and showing you some of its special features. ” Becoming a highly efficient and effective computer user also requires a full understanding of the potential impact of technology on privacy and the environment as well as the role of personal and organizational ethics. To effectively and efficiently use computers, you need to know the parts of an information system: peo- ple, procedures, software, hardware, data, and the Internet. You also need to understand the wireless rev- olution, the mobile Internet, and the web and to recog- nize the role of information technology in your personal Moyo Studio/Getty Images and professional life. Information Systems When you think of a personal computer, perhaps you think of just the equipment itself. That is, you think of the screen or the keyboard. Yet there is more to it than that. The way to think about a personal computer is as part of an information system. An information system has several parts: people, procedures, software, hardware, data, and the Internet. (See Figure 1-1.) People: It is easy to overlook people as one of the parts of an information system. Yet this is what personal computers are all about—making people, end users like you, more productive. Procedures: The rules or guidelines for people to follow when using software, hardware, and data are procedures. These procedures are typically documented in manuals written by computer specialists. Software and hardware manufacturers provide manuals with their products. These manuals are provided in either printed or electronic form. Software: A program consists of the step-by-step instructions that tell the computer how to do its work. Software is another name for a program or programs. The pur- pose of software is to convert data (unprocessed facts) into information (processed facts). For example, a payroll program would instruct the computer to take the number of hours you worked in a week (data) and multiply it by your pay rate (data) to determine how much you are paid for the week (information). Hardware: The equipment that processes the data to create information is called hardware. It includes smartphones, tablets, keyboards, mice, displays, system units, and other devices. Hardware is controlled by software. Data: The raw, unprocessed facts, including text, numbers, images, and sounds, are called data. Processed data yields information. Using the previous example of a payroll program, the data (number of hours worked and pay rate) is processed (multiplied) to yield information (weekly pay). Internet: Almost all information systems provide a way to connect to other people and computers, typically using the Internet. This connectivity greatly expands the capability and usefulness of information systems. 4 CHAPTER 1  People are end users who use computers to make themselves more productive. Software provides step-by-step instructions for computer hardware. Procedures specify rules or guidelines for computer operations. Hardware includes keyboard, mouse, display, system unit, tablets, smartphones, and other devices. Data consists of unprocessed facts, including text, numbers, images, and sounds. Internet allows computers to connect to people and other computers. Figure 1-1 Parts of an information system People: Prostock-Studio/Getty Images; Procedures: Microsoft Corporation; Software: Microsoft Corporation; NoDerog/Getty Images; Hardware: (Smartphone): Urbanscape/Shutterstock; (Tablet): Prime Stock Photo/Alamy StockPhoto; (Laptop): mama_mia/Shutterstock; (Desktop) Rawf8/Alamy Stock Photo; Data: Microsoft Corporation; (Rescue puppy or dog): Zoom Pet Photography/ImageSource/Getty Images; (Employee portrait): Sam Edwards/age fotostock; (Coffee): Stockbyte/Getty Images; (Parrot): Maciej Czekajewski/Shutterstock; Internet: franckreporter/Getty Images INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, THE INTERNET, AND YOU 5  concept check What are the parts of an information system? What is a program? What is the difference between data and information? People People are surely the most important part of any information system. Our lives are touched Community every day by computers and information systems. Many times the contact is direct and obvious, such as when we Every major technology has create documents using a affected communities—but none word processing program in the unique ways that or when we connect to the computers have. We have Internet. (See Figure 1-2.) changed how we interact with Other times, the contact is our communities, both in the not as obvious. tools we use to communicate, Throughout this book such as social media posts, and you will find a variety of in the ways we communicate, in features designed to help emojis and podcasts. But you become an efficient technology has had a deeper impact on our communities than and effective end user. just the way we interact. It has These features include forever changed how we find Making IT Work for You, and identify our communities. Tips, Privacy, Commu- Every day, people meet, discuss, nity, Ethics, and Careers Figure 1-2 People and computers and bond with others they have in IT. fizkes/Shutterstock never met in person. The entire world feels a little smaller, with Making IT Work for You. Throughout this book you will find Making IT Work for our communities extending You features that present numerous interesting and practical IT applications. For around the globe. just a few of the Making IT Work for You topics, see Figure 1-3. Tips. We all can benefit from a few tips or suggestions. Throughout this book you will find numerous tips to make your computing safer, more efficient, and more effective. These tips range from the basics of keeping your computer system Application Description Free Antivirus Program Protect your computer by installing and using a free antivirus program. See page 9. Cloud Office Suites Create and collaborate with others online to make better documents and presentations. See page 74. Gaming Delve into the world of video games and find the best video game hardware for you. See page 113. Cloud Storage Move your files online to synch files between devices or free up space on your digital devices. See page 174. The Mobile Office Get work done on the road; whether a business trip or your daily commute, these tools will help you make the most of your time. See page 194. Figure 1-3 Making IT Work for You applications 6 CHAPTER 1  tips running smoothly to how to protect your Are you getting the most out of your cell phone? Here are privacy while surfing the web. For a just a few of the tips to make your computing safer, more partial list of the tips presented in the efficient, and more effective. following chapters, see Figure 1-4. 1 Low battery. Do you find that your cell phone’s battery keeps its charge Privacy. One of the most critical issues for less time than it used to? Here are some ways to make your battery today is how to protect the privacy of our last longer. See page 122. personal information. Throughout this book you will find Privacy boxes in the 2 Cell phone cameras. Capturing life’s moments in a photo is easier and faster with a cell phone. But a few simple tips can make the process margin that present information about easier and your photos better. See page 71. protecting our privacy. Community. Computers are changing the 3 Disaster planning. Having a cell phone lost or stolen can be devastating. Follow these suggestions to make it easier to get your phone back, or way we define and interact with our com- recover its data quickly. See page 228. munities. In this chapter and the following ones, you will find Community boxes in 4 Data usage. Is your cell phone data plan costing you money? Are your cell the margins that present ways in which phone apps using up your data plan without you knowing it? Take control of your data usage with the tips on page 172. technology affects how we create and engage with our communities. 5 Protecting your identity. Identity theft is a growing problem and can be Ethics. Most people agree that we should financially devastating if you are a victim. Some steps to protect your identity are on page 223. behave ethically. That is, we should follow a system of moral principles that direct our everyday lives. However, for any given cir- Figure 1-4 Selected tips cumstance, people often do not agree on the ethics of the situation. Throughout this book you will find numerous Ethics boxes posing a variety of different ethical/ unethical situations for your consideration. Careers in IT. One of the most important decisions of your life is to decide upon your life’s work or career. Perhaps you are planning to be a writer, an artist, or an engineer. Or you might become a professional in information technology (IT). Each of the following chapters highlights a specific career in information technol- ogy. This feature provides job descriptions, projected employment demands, edu- cational requirements, current salary ranges, and advancement opportunities. concept check Which part of an information system is the most important? Describe the Making IT Work for You, Tips, and Privacy features. Describe the Environment, Ethics, and Careers in IT features. Software Software, as we mentioned, is another name for programs. Programs are the instruc- tions that tell the computer how to process data into the form you want. In most cases, the words software and programs are interchangeable. There are two major kinds of software: system software and application software. You can think of application soft- ware as the kind you use. Think of system software as the kind the computer uses. System Software The user interacts primarily with application software. System software enables the application software to interact with the computer hardware. System software is “background” software that helps the computer manage its own internal resources. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, THE INTERNET, AND YOU 7 Figure 1-5 Windows 10 Figure 1-6 macOS omihay/Shutterstock Alexey Boldin/Shutterstock System software is not a single program. Rather, it is a collection of programs, including the following: Operating systems are programs that coordinate computer resources, provide an interface between users and the computer, and run applications. Smartphones, tablets, and many other mobile devices use embedded operating systems, also known as real-time operating systems (RTOS). Desktop computers use stand- alone operating systems like Windows 10 or macOS. (See Figures 1-5 and 1-6.) Networks use network operating systems (NOS). Utilities perform specific tasks related to managing computer resources. One of the most essential utility programs that every computer system should have is an antivirus program. These programs protect your computer system from viruses or malicious programs that are all too often deposited onto your computer from the Internet. These programs can damage software and hardware, as well as compromise the security and privacy of your personal data. If your computer does not have an antivirus program installed on it, you need to get one. To see how you can install a free antivirus program on your computer, see Making IT Work for You: Free Antivirus Program on page 9. Application Software Application software might be described as end-user software. Three types of applica- tion software are general-purpose, specialized, and apps. General-purpose applications are widely used in nearly all career areas. They are the kinds of programs you have to know to be considered an efficient and effective end user. Some of the best known are presented in Figure 1-7. Specialized applications include thousands of other programs that are more nar- rowly focused on specific disciplines and occupations. Two of the best known are graphics and web authoring programs. Mobile apps, also known as mobile applications or simply apps, are small pro- grams primarily designed for mobile devices such as smartphones and for tablets. There are over 5 million apps. The most popular mobile apps are for social network- ing, playing games, and downloading music and videos. Type Description Word processors Prepare written documents Spreadsheets Analyze and summarize numerical data Database management systems Organize and manage data and information Figure 1-7 General-purpose Presentation software Communicate a message or persuade other people applications 8 CHAPTER 1 Making IT work for you FREE ANTIVIRUS PROGRAM Have you or someone you know had a slower computing experience due to a spyware infection? Even worse, perhaps a malicious piece of software stole crucial, personal information or caused a total system failure. Most of these problems can be averted by having an up-to-date antivirus program running in your computer’s memory at all times. This exercise shows you how to download and install a free antivirus pro- gram if your computer does not yet have one. (Please note that the web is continually changing, and some of the specifics presented here may have changed.) Getting Started First, make sure your computer does not have an antivirus or security suite running. If it does, be sure to completely uninstall that program, even if the subscription is expired. Now, follow these steps to install AVG, a popular, free antivirus program: Visit http://free.avg.com and click the Download button. You will be asked to click “save” to save the installation file to your computer. Run the installation file and follow the prompts. Select Install Basic to install the antivirus software. Once the program is installed, it will open automatically. Using AVG Generally speaking, your antivirus program watches your system for malware and updates itself automatically. However, you can always download updates manually, set a schedule for full-system scans, and change basic settings for vari- ous components of the software. Click Scan now to run a full scan on your computer. Just to the right of that, click the button with the white cog to see the scan options, where you can set a schedule for automated scans. Click the back arrow to reach the main screen, where you can click various elements of the program to configure them. For example, clicking Web will allow you to turn on a feature that detects cookies that may be used to track your online activity. AVG Technologies 9  concept check Describe the two major kinds of software. Describe two types of system software programs. Define and compare general-purpose applications, specialized applications, and mobile apps. Hardware Computers are electronic devices that can follow instructions to accept input, process that input, and produce information. This book focuses principally on personal com- puters. However, it is almost certain that you will come in contact, at least indirectly, with other types of computers. Types of Computers There are four types of computers: supercomputers, mainframe computers, midrange computers, and personal computers. Supercomputers are the most powerful type of computer. These machines are spe- cial, high-capacity computers used by very large organizations. Supercomputers are typically used to process massive amounts of data. For example, they are used to analyze and predict worldwide weather patterns. IBM’s Blue Gene supercom- puter is one of the fastest computers in the world. (See Figure 1-8.) Mainframe computers occupy specially wired, air-conditioned rooms. Although not nearly as powerful as supercomputers, mainframe computers are capable of great processing speeds and data storage. For example, insurance companies use mainframes to process information about millions of policyholders. Midrange computers, also referred to as servers, are computers with processing capabilities less powerful than a mainframe computer yet more powerful than a personal computer. Originally used by medium-size companies or departments of large companies to support their processing needs, today midrange computers are most widely used to support or serve end users for such specific needs as retriev- ing data from a database or supplying access to application software. Figure 1-8 Supercomputer Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock 10 CHAPTER 1  Figure 1-9 Desktop Figure 1-10 Laptop Scanrail1/Shutterstock mama_mia/Shutterstock Personal computers, also known as PCs, are the least powerful, yet the most widely used and fastest-growing type of computer. There are five types of personal computers: desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and wearables. Desktop computers are small enough to fit on top of or alongside a desk yet are too big to carry around. (See Figure 1-9.) Laptop computers, also known as notebook computers, are por- table and lightweight and fit into most briefcases. (See Figure 1-10.) Tablets, also known as tablet computers, are smaller, lighter, and generally less powerful than laptops. Like a laptop, tablets have a flat screen but typically do not have a stan- dard keyboard. (See Figure 1-11.) Instead, tablets typically use a virtual keyboard Figure 1-11 Tablet that appears on the screen and is touch-sensitive. Prime Stock Photo/Alamy StockPhoto Smartphones are the most widely used personal computer. Smartphones are cell phones with wireless connections to the Internet and processing capabilities. (See Figure 1-12.) Other mobile computers include wearable devices like Apple’s Watch. (See Figure 1-13.) Cell Phones Many people are not aware that their cell phone is a computer, and this computer has many of the same components as desktops, laptops, and tablets. At one time, cell phones had very limited power and were used almost exclusively for making telephone calls. Now, almost all cell phones are powerful smartphones capable of connecting to the Internet and running any number of apps. In fact, nearly every cell phone purchased today is more powerful than the computers used to land the first person on the moon. Today, over 99 percent of Americans under the age of 30 own a cell phone, and over 96 percent of those cell phones are smartphones. As a result, the two terms are Figure 1-12 Smartphone becoming interchangeable. Reflecting this trend, we will use the terms cell phone and Urbanscape/Shutterstock smartphone interchangeably. Personal Computer Hardware Hardware for a personal computer system consists of a variety of different devices. This physical equipment falls into four basic categories: system unit, input/output, secondary storage, and communication. Because we discuss hardware in detail later in this book, here we will present just a quick overview of the four basic categories. System unit: The system unit is a container that houses most of the electronic components that make up a computer system. Two important components of the system unit are microprocessors and memory. (See Figure 1-14.) The microprocessor Figure 1-13 Wearable controls and manipulates data to produce information. Memory is a holding area TraceyAPhotos/Getty Images INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, THE INTERNET, AND YOU 11  Memory Microprocessor Figure 1-14 System unit (CPU): Niels Poulsen DK/Alamy Stock Photo; (RAM): Olexandr Panchenko/Shutterstock; (Microprocessor): leungchopan/Shutterstock for data, instructions, and information. One type, random-access memory (RAM), holds the program and data that are currently being processed. This type of mem- ory is sometimes referred to as temporary storage because its contents will typically be lost if the electric power to the computer is disrupted. Input/output: Input devices translate data and programs that humans can under- stand into a form that the computer can process. The most common input devices are the keyboard and the mouse. Output devices translate the processed informa- tion from the computer into a form that humans can understand. The most com- mon output device is the display, also known as a monitor. Secondary storage: Unlike memory, secondary storage holds data and programs even after electric power to the computer system has been turned off. The most important kinds of secondary media are hard disks, solid-state storage, and optical discs. Hard disks are typically used to store programs and very large data files. Using rigid metallic platters and read/write heads that move across the platters, data and information are stored using magnetic charges on the disk’s surface. In contrast, solid-state storage does not have any moving parts, is more reliable, and requires less power. It saves data and information electronically similar to RAM except that it is not volatile. (See Figure 1-15.) Optical discs use laser technology to store data and programs. Three types of optical discs are compact discs (CDs), digital versatile (or video) discs (DVDs), and Blu-ray discs (BD). Communication: At one time, it was uncommon for a personal computer system to communicate with other computer systems. Now, using communication devices, a personal computer routinely communicates with other computer systems located as near as the next office or as far away as halfway around the world, using the Inter- Figure 1-15 Solid-state storage net. A modem is a widely used communication device that modifies audio, video, Stas Knop/Shutterstock and other types of data into a form that can be transmitted across the Internet. 12 CHAPTER 1  concept check What are the four types of computers? Describe the five types of personal computers. Describe the four basic categories of personal computer hardware. Data Data is raw, unprocessed facts, including text, numbers, images, and sounds. As we mentioned earlier, processed data becomes information. When stored electronically in files, data can be used directly as input for the system unit. Four common types of files (see Figure 1-16) are Document files, created by word processors to save documents such as memos, term papers, and letters. Presentation Database Worksheet Document Figure 1-16 Four types of files: document, worksheet, database, and presentation Presentation: Microsoft Corporation; Zoom Pet Photography/Image Source/Getty Images; Database: Microsoft Corporation; Worksheet: Microsoft Corporation; Sam Edwards/age fotostock; Document: Stockbyte/Getty Images; Maciej Czekajewski/Shutterstock INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, THE INTERNET, AND YOU 13  Worksheet files, created by electronic spreadsheets to analyze things like budgets and to predict sales. Database files, typically created by database management programs to contain highly structured and organized data. For example, an employee database file might contain all the workers’ names, Social Security numbers, job titles, and other related pieces of information. Presentation files, created by presentation software to save presentation materials. For example, a file might contain audience handouts, speaker notes, and electronic slides. Connectivity and the Mobile Internet Connectivity is the capability of your personal computer to share information with other computers. Central to the concept of connectivity is the network. A network is a communications system connecting two or more computers. The largest network in the world is the Internet. It is like a giant highway that connects you to millions of other people and organizations located throughout the world. The web provides a multimedia interface to the numerous resources available on the Internet. The Internet has driven the evolution of computers and their impact on our daily lives. The rate of technological change is accelerating at an ever faster pace. Along with the Internet, three things that are driving the impact of tech- nology on our lives are cloud computing, wireless communi- cation, and the Internet of Things. Cloud computing uses the Internet and the web to shift many computer activi- ties from a user’s computer to computers on the Inter- net. Rather than relying solely on their computer, users can now use the Internet to connect to the cloud and access more powerful computers, soft- ware, and storage. Wireless communication has changed the way we communicate with one another. The rapid devel- opment and widespread use of wireless communi- cation devices like tablets, cell phones, and wearable devices have led many Figure 1-17 Wireless communication devices experts to predict that (Top-left): Urbanscape/Shutterstock; (Top-right): Pavel Heyets/Shutterstock; (Bottom-left): charnsitr/ Shutterstock; (Bottom-middle): Prime Stock Photo/Alamy StockPhoto; (Bottom-right): Neil Godwin/ wireless applications are MacFormat Magazine/Future via Getty Images just the beginning of the 14 CHAPTER 1  wireless revolution, a revolution that will dramatically affect the way we com- municate and use computer technology. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the continuing development of the Internet that allows everyday objects embedded with electronic devices to send and receive data over the Internet. It promises to connect all types of devices, from computers to cell phones, to watches, to any number of everyday devices. Wireless communication, cloud computing, and IoT are driving the mobile Inter- net. They promise to continue to dramatically affect the entire computer industry and how you and I will interact with computers and other devices. Each will be discussed in detail in the following chapters. For just a few of these mobile devices, see Figure 1-17. concept check Define data. List four common types of files. Define connectivity and networks. What is cloud computing? Wireless revolution? IoT? Careers in IT “ Now that you know the basic outline and important features of this book, we would like As mentioned previously, each of the following chapters highlights a specific career in information technology. Each provides specific job to talk about some of the most exciting and descriptions, salary ranges, advancement opportunities, and more. For well-paid careers in information technology. ” a partial list of these careers, see Figure 1-18. Career Description Web developer Develops and maintains websites and web resources. See page 45. Software engineer Analyzes users’ needs and creates application software. See page 73. Computer support specialist Provides technical support to customers and other users. See page 99. Moyo Studio/Getty Images Computer technician Repairs and installs computer components and systems. See page 125. Technical writer Prepares instruction manuals, technical reports, and other scientific or technical documents. See page 154. Network administrator Creates and maintains computer networks. See page 205. Figure 1-18 Careers in information technology INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, THE INTERNET, AND YOU 15 VISUAL SUMMARY Information Technology, the Internet, and You INFORMATION SYSTEMS PEOPLE Prostock-Studio/Getty Images HQuality/Shutterstock The way to think about a personal computer is to realize People are the most important part of an information sys- that it is one part of an information system. There are sev- tem. This book contains several features to demonstrate eral parts of an information system: how people just like you use computers. These features People are an essential part of the system. The pur- include the following: pose of information systems is to make people, or end Making IT Work for You presents several interesting users like you, more productive. and practical applications. Topics include using online Procedures are rules or guidelines to follow when office suites and cloud storage. using software, hardware, and data. They are typically Tips offer a variety of suggestions on such practical documented in manuals written by computer profes- matters as how to improve slow computer performance sionals. and how to protect your privacy while on the web. Software (programs) provides step-by-step instruc- Privacy marginal boxes discuss threats to your per- tions to control the computer to convert data into sonal privacy and suggest ways to protect yourself. information. Community boxes discuss the ways technology affects Hardware consists of the physical equipment. It is our communities. Computers are changing the way we controlled by software and processes data to create find, create, and engage with our communities. information. Ethics boxes pose a variety of different ethical/ Data consists of unprocessed facts, including text, unethical situations for your consideration. numbers, images, and sound. Information is data that Careers in IT presents job descriptions, employment has been processed by the computer. demands, educational requirements, salary ranges, The Internet allows computers to connect and share and advancement opportunities. information. To efficiently and effectively use the computer, you need to understand information technology (IT), including software, hardware, data, and connectivity. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, THE INTERNET, AND YOU 17 To efficiently and effectively use computers, you need to understand the basic parts of an information system: people, procedures, software, hardware, data, and connectivity. You also need to understand the Internet and the web and to recognize the role of technology in your professional and personal life. SOFTWARE HARDWARE Scanrail1/Shutterstock Hardware consists of electronic devices that can follow Microsoft Corporation instructions to accept input, process the input, and pro- duce information. Types of Computers Software, or programs, consists of system and application Supercomputer, mainframe, midrange (server), and software. personal computers (PCs) are four types of computers. A personal computer can be a desktop, laptop (notebook System Software computer), tablet, smartphone, or a wearable. System software enables application software to interact with computer hardware. Cell Phones Operating systems coordinate resources, provide an Today, almost all cell phones are smartphones; cell phone interface, and run applications. Three types are and smartphone are becoming interchangeable terms. embedded (real-time, RTOS), stand-alone, and network (NOS). Personal Computer Hardware Utilities perform specific tasks to manage computer There are four basic categories of hardware devices: resources. System unit contains electronic circuitry, including microprocessors and memory. Random-access Application Software memory (RAM) holds the program and data currently Application software includes general-purpose, special- being processed. ized, and mobile applications. Input/output devices are translators between humans General purpose—widely used in nearly all career and computers. Input devices include the keyboard areas; programs include browsers, word processors, and mouse. The most common output device is the spreadsheets, database management systems, and pre- computer display (monitor). sentation software. Secondary storage holds data and programs. Typical Specialized—focus more on specific disciplines and media include hard disks, solid-state storage, and occupations; programs include graphics and web optical discs (CD, DVD, and Blu-ray). authoring. Communication devices allow personal computers to Apps (mobile apps, mobile applications)—designed for communicate with other computer systems. Modems mobile devices; most popular are for text messaging, modify audio, video, and other types of data for trans- Internet browsing, and connecting to social networks. mission across the Internet. 18 CHAPTER 1 DATA CONNECTIVITY AND THE MOBILE Data is the raw unprocessed facts about something. Com- INTERNET mon file types include Connectivity describes the ability of end users to use Document files created by word processors. resources well beyond their desktops. Central to the con- cept of connectivity is the network or communication system connecting two or more computers. The Internet is the world’s largest computer network. The web pro- vides a multimedia interface to resources available on the Internet. Along with the Internet, three other things are driving the impact of technology: Cloud computing uses the Internet and the web to shift many computer activities from a user’s computer Microsoft Corporation; Maciej Czekajewski/Shutterstock to computers on the Internet. Wireless revolution has changed the way we commu- Worksheet files created by spreadsheet programs. nicate and use computer technology. Wireless devices include tablets, cell phones, and watches. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the continuing develop- ment of the Internet that allows everyday objects embedded with electronic devices to send and receive data over the Internet. CAREERS in IT Microsoft Corporation; Stockbyte/Getty Images Career Description Database files created by database management Web developer Develops and maintains websites and web programs. resources. See page 45. Software Analyzes users’ needs and creates engineer application software. See page 73. Computer Provides technical support to customers support and other users. See page 99. specialist Computer Repairs and installs computer components technician and systems. See page 125. Technical Prepares instruction manuals, technical Microsoft Corporation; Sam Edwards/age fotostock writer reports, and other scientific or technical documents. See page 154. Presentation files created by presentation software programs. Network Creates and maintains computer networks. administrator See page 205. Microsoft Corporation; Zoom Pet Photography/ Image Source/Getty Images INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, THE INTERNET, AND YOU 19  KEY TERMS application software (8) mouse (12) apps (8) network (14) Blu-ray disc (BD) (12) network operating systems (NOS) (8) cloud computing (14) notebook computer (11) communication device (12) operating system (8) compact disc (CD) (12) optical disc (12) connectivity (14) output device (12) data (4) PC (11) database file (14) people (4) desktop computer (11) personal computer (11) digital versatile disc (DVD) (12) presentation file (14) digital video disc (DVD) (12) procedures (4) display (12) program (4) document file (13) random-access memory (RAM) (12) embedded operating system (8) real-time operating system (RTOS) (8) end user (4) secondary storage (12) general-purpose application (8) server (10) hard disk (12) smartphone (11) hardware (4) software (4) information (4) solid-state storage (12) information system (4) specialized application (8) information technology (IT) (7) stand-alone operating system (8) input device (12) supercomputer (10) Internet (14) system software (7) IoT (Internet of Things) (15) system unit (11) keyboard (12) tablet (11) laptop computer (11) tablet computer (11) mainframe computer (10) utility (8) memory (11) virus (8) microprocessor (11) wearable device (11) midrange computer (10) web (14) mobile app (application) (8) wireless communication (14) modem (12) wireless revolution (15) monitor (12) worksheet file (14) 20 CHAPTER 1 MULTIPLE CHOICE Circle the correct answer. 1. This consists of the step-by-step instructions that tell the computer how to do its work. a. program c. RAM b. browser d. operating system 2. Another name for a program. a. document c. software b. hardware d. monitor 3. Enables the application software to interact with the computer hardware. a. system software c. RAM b. utility software d. output device 4. Type of computer that is small enough to fit on top of or alongside a desk yet is too big to carry around. a. desktop c. mainframe b. tablet d. supercomputer 5. A container that houses most of the electronic components that make up a computer system. a. mainframe c. hardware b. system unit d. utility 6. Devices that translate the processed information from the computer into a form that humans can understand. a. program c. document b. input d. output 7. Unlike hard disks, this type of storage does not have any moving parts, is more reliable, and requires less power. a. network c. general purpose b. cloud d. solid state 8. A device that modifies audio, video, and other types of data into a form that can be transmitted across the Internet. a. monitor c. input b. modem d. output 9. A type of a file that might contain, for example, audience handouts, speaker notes, and electronic slides. a. presentation c. spreadsheet b. document d. database 10. A communications system connecting two or more computers. a. modem c. network b. cloud computing d. smartphone CHAPTER 1 21  MATCHING Match each numbered item with the most closely related lettered item. Write your answers in the spaces provided. a. cloud computing 1. RAM is a type of ________. b. document 2. Examples include the keyboard, mouse, display, a. general-purpose and system unit. application 3. Although not as powerful as a supercomputer, this a. hardware type of computer is capable of great processing b. Internet speeds and data storage. a. mainframe 4. The Apple Watch is an example of this type of computer. b. memory 5. These programs coordinate computer resources, b. operating systems provide an interface, and run applications. d. secondary 6. The type of file created by word processors—for d. wearable example, memos, term papers, and letters. 7. Uses the Internet and the web to shift many computer activities from a user’s computer to computers on the Internet. 8. The largest network in the world. 9. This category of applications includes the word processor. 10. Unlike memory, this type of storage holds data and programs even after electric power to the computer system has been turned off. OPEN-ENDED On a separate sheet of paper, respond to each question or statement. 1. Explain the parts of an information system. What part do people play in this system? 2. What is system software? What kinds of programs are included in system software? 3. Define and compare general-purpose applications, specialized applications, and apps. Describe some different types of general-purpose applications. Describe some types of specialized applications. 4. Describe the different types of computers. What is the most common type? What are the types of personal computers? 5. What is connectivity? What is a computer network? What are the Internet and the web? What are cloud computing, the wireless revolution, and IoT? 22 CHAPTER 1 DISCUSSION Respond to each of the following questions. 1 Making IT Work for You Making it a habit of keeping current with technology applications can be a key to your success. Numerous full-page spreads identified as Making IT Work for You are presented in the following chapters. These sections address some of today’s most interesting and useful applications. They include online entertain- ment in Chapter 2, online office suites in Chapter 3, and cloud storage in Chapter 7. Select one that you find the most interesting and then respond to the following: (a) Why did you select this application? (b) Have you used this application? If so, when and how? If not, do you plan to in the near future? (c) Go to the chapter containing your selected application, and locate the application’s Making IT Work for You coverage. Review and briefly describe its contents. (d) Did you find the coverage useful? Why or why not? 2 Privacy Privacy is one of the most critical issues facing society today. Numerous Privacy boxes appear in the margins of the upcoming chapters presenting a variety of privacy issues. These issues include apps that constantly track your movements without your knowledge or consent in Chapter 3; public Wi-Fi connections that record all of your personal communications in Chapter 8; and protection of personal privacy while using social media in Chapter 9. Select one that you find the most interesting, and then respond to the following: (a) Why did you select this issue? (b) Do you have knowledge of or experience with the issue? If so, describe your knowledge or experience. If not, do you consider the issue to be important for protecting your privacy? (c) Go to the chapter containing your selected issue, locate the Privacy box, read it, and describe its contents. (d) Did you find the coverage thought-provoking? Why or why not? 3 Ethics Computer ethics are guidelines for the morally acceptable use of computers in our society. Numerous Ethics boxes appear in the margins of the upcoming chapters, presenting a variety of ethical issues. These issues include image editing in Chapter 3, unauthorized use of webcams in Chapter 6, and unauthorized monitoring or eavesdropping of Internet activity in Chapter 8. Select one issue that you find the most interesting and then respond to the following: (a) Why did you select this issue? (b) Do you have knowledge of or experience with the issue? If so, describe your knowledge or experience. If not, do you consider the issue critical for individuals or organizations? (c) Go to the chapter containing your selected issue, locate the Ethics box, read it, and describe its contents. (d) Did you find the coverage thought-provoking? Why or why not? 4 Community Almost everyone belongs to several communities—some in person and some digital. Numerous Commu- nity boxes appear in the margins of the upcoming chapters. These boxes present a variety of community topics, including etiquette on the Internet in Chapter 2, accessibility for people with disabilities in Chapter 4, and the role of communities in bringing Internet access to the developing world in Chapter 8. Select one that you find the most interesting and then respond to the following: (a) Why did you select this topic? (b) Go to the chapter containing your selected topic, locate the Community box, read it, and describe its contents. (c) Did you find the coverage thought-provoking? Why or why not? Design Elements: Concept Check icons: Dizzle52/Getty Images; Making IT Work for You: cifotart/Shutterstock CHAPTER 1 23