Discovering Computers 2018 PDF

# Discovering Computers 2018: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices ## Module 1: Introducing Today's Technologies ### Objectives Overview * **Differentiate among laptops, tablets, desktops, and servers** * **Describe the purpose and uses of smartphones, digital cameras, portable and digital media...

# Discovering Computers 2018: Digital Technology, Data, and Devices ## Module 1: Introducing Today's Technologies ### Objectives Overview * **Differentiate among laptops, tablets, desktops, and servers** * **Describe the purpose and uses of smartphones, digital cameras, portable and digital media players, e-book readers, wearable devices, and game devices** * **Describe the relationship between data and information** * **Briefly explain various input options** * **Differentiate the web from the Internet, and describe the relationship among the web, webpages, websites, and web servers** * **Explain the purpose of a browser, a search engine, and an online social network** * **Briefly describe digital security risks associated with viruses and other malware, privacy, your health, and the environment** * **Differentiate between an operating system and applications** * **Differentiate between wired and wireless technologies, and identify reasons individuals and businesses use networks** * **Discuss how society uses technology in education, government, finance, retail, entertainment, health care, science, travel, publishing, and manufacturing** * **Identify technology used by home users, small/home office users, mobile users, power users, and enterprise users** ## Today's Technology * **Because technology changes, you must keep up with the changes to remain digitally literate** * **Digital literacy involves having a current knowledge and understanding of computers, mobile devices, the web, and related technologies** > **Figure 1-1** People use a variety of computers, mobile devices, and apps every day. ## Computers * **A computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory** > **Figure 1-2** A laptop is a widely used type of computer. > **Figure 1-3** A slate tablet. > **Figure 1-4** Some desktops have a separate tower; all-in-ones do not. > **Figure 1-5** A server provides services to other computers or devices on a network. ### Types of Computers - Laptop - Tablet - Desktop - All-in-One - Server ## Mobile and Game Devices - Smartphone - Digital Camera - Portable and Digital Media Player - E-book Reader - Wearable Device - Game Device ## Data and Information > **Figure 1-12** A computer processes data into information. In this simplified example, the item ordered, item price, quantity ordered, and amount received all represent data (input). The computer processes the data to produce the cash register receipt (information, or output). * **A keyboard contains keys you press to enter data and instructions into a computer or mobile device** > **Figure 1-13** Users have a variety of options for entering typed text. * **A pointing device is an input device that allows a user to control a small symbol on a screen, called the pointer** * **Some mobile devices and computers enable you to speak data instructions using voice input and to capture live full-motion images using video input** > **Figure 1-14** A mouse and a touchpad. > **Figure 1-15** You can speak instructions into a microphone or wireless headset and capture live video on a webcam for a video call. * **A scanner is a light-sensing input device that converts printed text and images into a form the computer can process** > **Figure 1-16** A Scanner. * **An output device is any hardware component that conveys information from a computer or mobile device to one or more people** * **A printer is an output device that produces text and graphics on a physical medium, such as paper or other material** - A 3-D printer can print solid objects, such as clothing, prosthetics, eyewear, implants, toys, parts, prototypes, and more > **Figure 1-17** A printer can produce a variety of printed output including photos and 3-D solid objects. * **A display is an output device that visually conveys text, graphics, and video information** > **Figure 1-18** Displays vary depending on the computer or mobile device. * **Speakers allow you to hear audio such as music, voice, and other sounds** - Earbuds - Headphones > **Figure 1-19** In a crowded environment where speakers are not practical, users can wear headphones to hear music, voice, and other audio. * **Memory consists of electronic components that store instructions waiting to be executed and the data needed by those instructions** * **A computer keeps data, instructions, and information on storage media** * **A storage device records (writes) and/or retrieves (reads) items to and from storage media** > **Figure 1-20** Hard Disk and Solid-State Drive > **Figure 1-21** USB Flash Drive and Memory Card > **Figure 1-22** Optical Disc and Cloud Storage ## The Web * **The Internet is a worldwide collection of computer networks that connects millions of businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, and individual** > **Figure 1-23** The Internet is the largest computer network, connecting millions of computers and devices around the world. * **The World Wide Web (or web, for short) is a global library of information available to anyone connected to the Internet** * **The web consists of a worldwide collection of electronic documents, each of which is called a webpage** * **A website is a collection of related webpages** * **A web server is a computer that delivers requested webpages to your computer or mobile device** > **Figure 1-24** Webpages, such as the one shown here, can display text, graphics, audio, and video on a computer or mobile device. Pointing to a link on the screen typically changes the shape of the pointer to a small hand with a pointing index finger. * **A browser is software that enables users with an Internet connection to access and view webpages on a computer or mobile device** > **Figure 1-25** A search engine is software that finds websites, webpages, images, videos, news, maps, and other information related to a specific topic. * **An online social network, also called a social networking site, is a website that encourages members in its online community to share their interests, ideas, stories, photos, music, and videos with other registered users** > **Figure 1-26** When Facebook users share, comment on, or "like" a post, the post appears on their own personal Facebook pages. ## Digital Safety and Security * **It is important that users protect their computers and mobile devices** - Viruses and Other Malware - Privacy - Health Concerns - Environmental Issues * **Green computing involves reducing the electricity consumed and environmental waste generated when using a computer** * **Strategies include:** - Recycling - Using energy efficient hardware and energy saving features - Regulating manufacturing processes - Extending the life of computers - Immediately donating or properly disposing of replaced computers ## Programs and Apps * **Software, also called a program, tells the computer what tasks to perform and how to perform them** - System Software - Operating System - Tools > **Figure 1-27** Shown here are the macOS and Windows operating systems for laptops and desktops and the Android and iOS operating systems for smartphones. You interact with these operating system interfaces by clicking or tapping their icons or tiles. * **Applications** > **Figure 1-28** A software developer writes instructions using Visual Basic (a) to create Payroll Information window shown here (b). * **Installing a program is the process of setting up the program to work with a computer or mobile device, printer, and/or other hardware** * **Once installed, you can run a program so that you can interact with it** * **You interact with a program through its user interface** * **A software developer, sometimes called a developer or programmer, is someone who develops programs and apps or writes the instructions that direct the computer or mobile device to process data into information** ## Communications and Networks * **In the course of a day, it is likely you use, or use information generated by, one or more of these communications technologies** - Chat rooms - Email - Fax - FTP - GPS - Instant messaging - Internet - RSS - Videoconference - Voice mail - VoIP * **A communications device is hardware capable of transferring items from computers and devices to transmission media and vice versa** > **Figure 1-29** Modems, wireless access, and routers are examples of communications devices that enable communications between computers/ mobile devices and the Internet. Notice that some computers and devices communicate via wires, and others communicate wirelessly. * **Examples of wireless communications technologies include: ** - Wi-Fi - Bluetooth - Cellular radio * **A network is a collection of computers and devices connected together, often wirelessly, via communications devices and transmission media** > **Figure 1-30** A server manages the resources on a network, and clients access the resources on the server. This network enables three separate computers to share the same printer, one wirelessly. * **Home Networks** - Connect to the Internet - Share a single high-speed Internet connection - Access photos, music, videos, and other content - Share devices - Play multiplayer games - Connect game consoles to the Internet - Subscribe to and use VoIP - Interact with other devices in a smart home * **Business Networks** - Facilitate communications - Share hardware - Share data, information, and software ## Technology Uses - Education - Government - Finance - Retail - Entertainment - Health Care - Science - Travel - Publishing - Manufacturing ## Technology Users > **Figure 1-31** Home User and Small/Home Office User > **Figure 1-32** Mobile User and Power User > **Figure 1-33** Enterprise Use ## Summary - Basic computer concepts - Various methods for input, output, memory, and storage - The Internet - Digital security and safety risks and precautions - Uses of technology applications in society