...terms, the back bone of any modern day personal computer. They allow for users to start applications, manipulate the system, and, in general, use the computer effectively and efficiently. There are many different operating systems, all of which are used by different people for different reasons. The Apple OS operating system is the sole property of the Apple Company and is used in all of their computers and technology that they create. Then you have Windows, which is quite possibly the most widely recognizable operating system on the market today. Then there is Linux. Linux is seen as the operating system for “people who know computers”. Linux is not as user friendly as the Apple OS or Windows but it is seen as one of the most flexible operating systems around. Linux was born from the brain trust of a small group of friends lead by a Finn computer science student, Linus Torvalds. Linus built the kernel, which is the core of the Linux operating system, though the kernel itself does not fully constitute an operating system. Richard Stallman’s GNU tools were used to fully flesh out the Linux operating system. Torvald matched these two together to make these two parts one whole working body. Linux is still in its infancy but has gathered a tremendous following since its inception in 1991. Linux is greatly favored by amongst developers, being used in everything from computers, servers, telephones and many other forms of technology. Today Linux is a multi-billion dollar industry with...
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...Computer software From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search "Software" redirects here. For other uses, see Software (disambiguation). Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it. In other words, software is a conceptual entity which is a set of computer programs, procedures, and associated documentation concerned with the operation of a data processing system. We can also say software refers to one or more computer programs and data held in the storage of the computer for some purposes. In other words software is a set of programs, procedures, algorithms and its documentation. Program software performs the function of the program it implements, either by directly providing instructions to the computer hardware or by serving as input to another piece of software. The term was coined to contrast to the old term hardware (meaning physical devices). In contrast to hardware, software is intangible, meaning it "cannot be touched".[1] Software is also sometimes used in a more narrow sense, meaning application software only. Sometimes the term includes data that has not traditionally been associated with computers, such as film, tapes, and records.[2] Examples of computer software include: * Application software includes end-user applications of computers such as word processors or video games, and ERP software for groups of...
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...12, 13, 16, 19, 20, 26 1. What are the different types of application architectures? There are three different fundamental application architectures. In host-based networks, the server performs virtually all of the work. In client-based networks, the client computer does most of the work; the server is used only for data storage. In client-server networks, the work is shared between the servers and clients. The client performs all presentation logic, the server handles all data storage and data access logic, and one performs the application logic. Client server networks can be cheaper to install and often better balance the network loads but are far more complex and costly to develop manage. 2. Describe the four basic functions of an application software package. Basic functions of an application Layer Data storage Storing of data generated by programs (e.g., files, records) Data access logic Processing required accessing stored data (e.g., SQL) Application logic Business login such as word processors, spreadsheets Presentation logic Presentation of info to user and acceptance of user commands 7. Compare and contrast two-tier, three-tier, and n-tier client-server architectures. What are the technical differences, and what advantages and disadvantages does each offer? Two-tier client server architecture uses only two sets of computers, one set of clients and one set of servers...
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...Internet Operating Systems For years I thought that operating systems were little programs (lines of code) placed inside my personal computer to help it run smoothly and efficiently. Which it is. But not until recently did I discover that operating systems must also be used in larger mainframes and servers as well. After all, servers are computers too! And any computer, regardless of its size or purpose, needs internal instructions. It needs a set of executable code that makes the thing come alive. Operating systems are the soul of all computers everywhere. This begs a question or two: what types of OS’s are out there? And how do they differ from the one in my Mac? Also, if I wanted to swap out my current operating system for a different one (my friends keep telling me about all of the great things they’re doing with Linux), how easy of a task would that be? The most common OS for a desktop (or a laptop) in use today is Windows 7 ("Os Platform Statistics", 2012). But what about the operating systems which are used by small and large companies that host web pages? Or store hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of large data files in a centralized data center? Or provide search engine services? Companies like Google, facebook, and Yahoo!, maintain their own, internal OS’s, which are designed to serve, store and manipulate data according to the needs of the public. (Consider how Google started out as nothing more than a search engine with fancier algorithms...
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...How computer technology ties into information technology David Carlson CIS/319 May 1, 2011 Bob Sanders How Computer Technology Ties into Information Technology This paper will show how computer systems are an integral part of information technology. We will look at: the best methods of data input for given situations, in given situations what are the best methods of output, the different types of storage and their optimal use, and how certain components affect computer speed. Accuracy of Data Input is Important Now we will look at five different scenarios and what would be the best way to input data and why. Printed questionnaires or surveys are often part of research studies so the method used to input their data into the system needs to be as accurate as can be. Human data-entry devices (HDED) would not be a very reliable form of data-entry because most research studies put out hundreds if not thousands of surveys and for people to try to input all that data accurately would be almost impossible. Since almost all surveys are multiple choice the best choice for the input method is the optical mark reader. The optical mark reader is a source-data automation input device (SDAID) that scans the survey detecting marks on the answer grid. Telephone surveys are another changing part of society, in the past phone surveys were handles by multitudes of phone operators asking questions and typing the responses into the computer. Times have changed and companies are seeing that...
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... Technology has increased productivity, help people economically, create new advance technology to fulfill people’s desires and wants, and the invention of the computer which has created numerous effects that almost everyone uses in our current society. One of the major technological invention that has changed the way people live their life is the computer. The computer has changed the way our society works today. Currently in our society, people use computers for virtually anything. The internet was created so that the invention of a computer can reach new peaks. People use computers for their own benefits and desires. Computers have provided many different types of efficient data storage systems and amazing processor that is very informative (Oak). Something that has really become popular because of computers is online shopping. A decade ago, buying any type of good online seemed imaginary, but now it has brought tons of income across the world (Nickson). Instead of going to a store and being limited to what they have on stock, people in our society can now go online to places like Amazon.com, or even a certain to store that they wish to purchase something, and purchase products from limitless categories. Online shopping also allows people from all across the world to sell and purchase goods to people in different areas of the world. I personally use online shopping more because I can find the product that I’m looking for fairly quickly and I can also find great sales and...
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...Computer programs are a mainstay in homes and businesses around the world today. Most people nowadays are very dependent on computers to store data, perform tasks and computations and even shop for useful goods. These tasks used to be done manually, and with the invention of computers have been simplified and consolidated much of the data digitally. Programs have been created to perform all kinds of tasks and people have become highly dependent on them. Computer programmers are the people behind the scenes who make all these wonderful things happen. They have created programming languages that the computers use to complete tasks and achieve many goals. There are thousands of programming languages that are in use today but the most popular are C#, C++, Java, Visual Basic, Pascal, and COBOL. (Venit, 2011) There are two types of methods that programmers use to create these programs, procedural and object-oriented programming. Procedural programming is the older of the two methods and object-oriented is the newer and most commonly used method today. Both of these methods use programming code, data and procedures to communicate with the computer. The difference between the two is that the interaction of data, procedures and functions. Programming is a very time consuming process and takes a lot of trial and error to create a good product. Programmers have found a way to shorten some of that time by using code reusability. Programmers are now fonder of object-oriented programming...
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...The Birth of the Internet and Rise of Social Media Although computers were not a strange concept during the 1960’s, they were still a new idea and only a few expensive, room-sized mainframe computers around the country were used for research. Technology has been constantly evolving for decades since the birth of computers, today, it’s a race amongst consumers to posses the latest edition of their favorite piece of technology. Computers have become such a hot commodity in today’s society; in fact, they are more like a necessity. We find ourselves waking up each morning to check emails or Facebook to see what people are talking about it the world. Along with personal pleasure, businesses find themselves dependent on the use of computers and the Internet. Many jobs have been created with the expansion of technology as well as the downfall of jobs being lost due to physical labor being replaced by technology. The Internet was initially developed as a military-government research project, with computer time-sharing being one of its goals. During the late 1960’s, this original Internet called ARPAnet and nicknamed the Net, allowed military and academic researchers to communicate on a distributed network system. ARPA was initially created to benefit users in a manner so that they were able to log on to a network system from any computer at multiple locations. “The dream behind the Web is of a common information space in which we communicate by sharing information. It’s universality...
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...have different capabilities in comparison to a normal cell phone. It can check e-mails, make phone calls, and browse the web in its basic form. Examples of smart phones’ operating systems today include, Android (Google), iPhone (Apple), Windows mobile (MS), Blackberry OS (RIM), and S60 (Symbian). These operating systems allow their customers to use different applications for their needs. Smartphone users have an access to the internet. This means that extremely many things can be done by a small device that is portable and one can carry it around everywhere. The users have internet on their pockets (Reed, 2010). The Smartphone is more than a phone and more than a computer. In America, today, 42% of phone users have Smart phones. Smartphone became a revolutionary innovation when Apple released its first generation of Iphone (Reed, 2010). This became a benchmark for Smartphone makers to adhere to in order to gain the market share in the Smartphone market. Today each company is trying to come up with the best smart phones so as to be able to compete with others. IPhone reinvented a Smartphone in 2007. Nowadays, most Smart phones support a number of applications that users can download. For example, Apple’s App Store on iTunes enables program users and developers to download and upload over 300, applications to use (Job, 2010). They have applications of different purposes such as education, games, medication and finance. These applications attract different kinds of users since...
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...Introduction to Computers 1. Define the term computer and discuss the four basic computer operations: input, processing, output, and storage 2. Define data and information 3. Explain the principle components of the computer and their use 4. Describe the use and handling of floppy disks and hard disks 5. Discuss computer software and explain the difference between system software and application software 6. Identify several types of personal computer application software 7. Discuss computer communications channels and equipment and the Internet and World Wide Web 8. Explain how to purchase, install, and maintain a personal computer, a notebook computer, and a handheld computer 9. Define e-commerce 1. Computer: Input, Processing, Output, and Storage In today's world, computers are used for almost every task imaginable. Routine activities such as paying bills, buying groceries, or communicating with a friend can be done with a computer. That is why it is important not only to know how to use a computer, but also to understand the components of a computer and what they do. Recent studies report that almost 40% of homes surveyed have personal computers, and this number is growing. Given the widespread use of computers, computer literacy - a knowledge and understanding of computers and computer uses - has become an essential ingredient in the recipe for success in today's world. Florida was the first state to demand computer literacy of all...
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...consider safety and confidentiality on the internet, and to examine various potential external threats. An overview on the ISP services available in Ireland, taking into consideration both home and business users, will also be given. SECURITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE INTERNET Various types of computer threats have been around since the invention of the internet. The following will explain what they are and how they work. According to the website BusinessDictionary.com a computer virus is a ‘small but insidious piece of programming-code that attacks computers and network systems through 'contaminated' (infected) data files, introduced into a system via disks or internet. As a digital equivalent of biological microorganisms, it attaches itself to the target computer’s operating systems or other programs, and automatically replicates itself to spread to other computers or networks’. (1) Computer viruses are a small piece of software that are able attach to disks or other files (viruses can be created for any operating system including DOS and other programs such as Excel) replicating itself without the users consent or knowledge. Some attach to files so when the infected programme is used the virus also executes, whilst others lie dormant in the memory and infect files when the computer is turned on. Sometimes symptoms are displayed, or files become corrupted, others can replicate. However, even if no visible damage is evident, a virus still poses a theat. E-mail viruses appear like...
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...information system applications. Major IT infrastructure components include computer hardware, software, data management technology, networking and telecommunications technology, and technology services. 2. What are the major computer hardware, data storage, input, and output technologies used in business? * Computer Hardware: Mainframes, midrange computers, PC’s, workstations, and supercomputers. * Data Storage: Magnetic disk, optical disc, magnetic tape and storage networks. * Input devices: Keyboards, computer mice, touch screens (including those with multitouch), magnetic ink and optical character recognition devices, pen-based instruments, digital scanners, sensors, audio input devices, and radio-frequency identification devices. * Output devices: Display monitors, printers, and audio output devices. • List and describes the various type of computers available to businesses today. * Mainframes are a large-capacity, high-performance computer that can process large amounts of data very rapidly. * Midrange computers are servers computers are specifically optimized to support a computer network, enabling users to share files, software, peripheral devices (such as printers), or other network resources. * PC’s are desktop or laptop machines. * Workstations are desktop machines with powerful mathematical and graphic capabilities. * Supercomputers are sophisticated, powerful computers that can perform massive and complex computations rapidly. • Define...
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... the dreams of artificial intelligence. In 1974, Nelson knew “computers will be embraced in very presentational medium and thoughtful medium very soon”[Nelson, 1974, 306]. He was convinced of the importance of media and the need of its interconnection because “we live in media, as fish live in water”. However, he was concerned about how the general framework and structure of our information could affect the way we study or understand the shared information. He believed that, by a linear structure, one could not learn all the aspects a topic or research was able to communicate. Yet, he was convinced that if people were motivated by clear, available and appealing material, the instructional sequences would not be needed. Thus, Nelson proposes his alternative to such systems with the creation of “responding resources”. He emphasizes the creation of “branching or performing presentations which respond to user actions”[313]. He would define this as hypermedia, which have not yet been achieved in its totality by the invention of the World Wide Web. Nelson’s main inspiration for the creation of the concept of hypermedia was the reflection of Vannevar Bush and idea of the Memex. Bush criticized and proposed a better way of organizing and locating our research and information. In 1945, the American engineer explains his idea of the “Memex” in his article: “As We Might Think”. This device was designed to allow the user to browse through an indexed repertory of knowledge. The Memex...
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...The Digital World The digital world of today can be understood as a product of late-Victorian construction of the machinery of information organization combined with Modernist visual forms. In his doctoral dissertation, The Engineering of Vision from Constructivism to Computers, Lev Manovich, professor of New Media at the University of San Diego, states it is the influence of Modernist visual forms, mainly Soviet era Constructivism, that shapes the look of the current digital world (e.g. the Internet). Professor Simon Cook of Duke University, in his recent paper, Late Victorian Visual Reasoning and a Modern History of Vision, argues that Manovich overlooks the importance of the Victorian period in influencing the aesthetics of our present digital design. Cook bases his argument on the concept of an orderly and well-catalogued Internet, as if the system had been developed in nineteenth century Britain. However, due to the chaotic, disorganized and ever-changing look of the digital world, the argument of a Victorian based system is flawed. The late nineteenth century does not have the impact Cook believes it does, whereas Manovich remains on track in his original argument. Still, Manovich’s ideas can only be regarded on a temporary basis, because the face of the digital world has changed drastically since its development, and will continue to in the near future. Before exploring the look of the current digital world, it is first important to look at its physical development...
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...The concept ‘computer’ is definitely an old expression that has changed its meaning many times in the previous couple of centuries. Via the Latin, by the mid-17th century the item meant ‘a person that computes’. The actual American Traditions Dictionary (1980) offers its primary computer meaning as “an individual who computes.” The pc remained associated with human task until in regards to the middle of the 20th millennium when the idea became given to “a programmable electronic device that can easily store, get, and procedure data”. Right now, the word computer describes computing equipment, whether or otherwise they are electronic, programmable, or able to ‘store and also retrieve’ files. Before there were electronic computers most of the tasks we now do with a computer were done other ways. In many cases quite sophisticated electromechanical devices were developed to help. The collection contains several different kinds of these obsolete and nearly vanished machines. The history of computers starts out about 2000 years ago, at the birth of the abacus, a wooden rack holding two horizontal wires with beads strung on them. When these beads are moved around, according to programming rules memorized by the user, all regular arithmetic problems can be done. Another important invention around the same time was the Astrolabe, used for navigation. Blaise Pascal is usually credited for building the first digital computer in 1642. It added numbers entered with dials and was made...
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