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How IT works for you
Almost everyone in our information society needs a basic understanding of what a computer is and what can it do for you. These bits of information will simulate your imagination, challenge your every resource, from physical dexterity to intellect, and alter your sense of perspective of technology.
Computers seem to consist of incredibly complicated circuitry and devices, but their underlying principle is simple. They can be either turned on or turned off, and because of this two-state arrangement, represented by 1 and 0 digit, they take up the binary system or “double” binaries. Today, digital specifically refers to communications signals represented in a two-state (binary) way.
In the binary system, each 0 (off) or 1 (on) is called a bit short for binary digit. In turn, bits can be grouped in various combinations to represent characters of data numbers, letters, punctuation marks, and so on. For example, the letter H could corresponds to the electronic signal 01001000 (that is, off-on-off-off-on-off-off-off). This group of eight bits is called a byte. Two common binary coding schemes are EBCDIC and ASCII. A newer one is the Unicode.
Digital data is the method of data representation by which computers process and store data communicate with each other. A computer-and-communications system has six elements: users; procedures; data; hardware; software; and communications.
There is a technical difference between data and information. Data is unprocessed and raw form of information, which after being processed shapes into uncomprehensible information. Both forms are measured by certains units, such as kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, and terabytes.
Hardware that is associated with a normal computer includes devices such as keyboard, mouse, CPU (the processor), hard disk, RAM, monitor, CD-ROM, sound card and a modem. Additional peripherals may include scanner and printer.
Software or programs comprise the instructions that tell the computer what to do. In general, software is divided into two categories, applications software and system software. The applications are developed to perform useful tasks, solve problems, or to provide entertainment. The system software, on the other hand, enable the applications software to run on the computer. System software comprises three basic components: operating system, utility programs.
Operating system: The operating system manages the basic operations of the computer. These operations includes booting the computer and management of storage media.
Utilities: These programs, such as Norton, either enhance existing functions or provide services not performed by other system software. They include backup, data recovery, file defragmention, disk repair, virus protection, data compression, and memory management.
Kinds of application
Several kinds of software applications are being developed for different purposes and types of users. Some basic categories are defined below:
Word processing software: This software, caters to the needs of all kinds of users from beginners to expert. Programs like Microsoft Word, StarOffice, etc, fall under this category. These allow you to use computers to create, edit, format, print, and store text material, among other things.
Electronic spreadsheet: Programs, such as Lotus1-2-3 and Microsoft Excel, work as spreadsheets and allow users to create tables and financial schedules by entering data into rows and columns arranged as a grid on a display screen. If one (or more) numerical value or formula is changed the software calculates the effect of the change on the rest of the spreadsheet. These programs also allow users to create analytical graphics charts to present data.
Personal information management: PIM or in other words electronic database applications software is a computer-based collection of interrelated files. Database software is a program that controls the structure of a database and access to the data.
Personal Information Management (PIM) software is specialized database software that helps track and manage information used on a daily basis, such as addresses appointments, lists, and miscellaneous notes.
Financial software: Such software includes personal finance managers, entry-level accounting packages and business financial-management software. Personal-finance managers let you keep track of income and expenses, write cheques, do online banking and plan financial goals.
Packages and suites: Integrated software packages combine the basic features of several applications programs-for example, word processing, spreadsheet, database manager, graphics and communications-into one software package. Software suites are full-fledged versions of several applications programs bundled together.
Major uses of programs for desktop publishing, presentation graphics, project management, computer-aided design, drawing and painting, groupware, and multimedia authoring software
Special purpose software includes the following programs:
— Desktop publishing (DTP) combines text and graphics in a highly sophisticated manner to produce high-quality output for commercial printing
— Presentation graphics and data/information from other software tools to communicate or make a presentation of data to others.
— Project management software is used to plan schedule and control the people, costs, and resources required to complete a project on time.
— Computer-aided design (CAD) program are for designing products and structures.
— Drawing programs allow users to design and illustrate object and products, and painting programs allow them to simulate painting on screen.
— Groupware is used on a network and allows users within the same building or on different continents to share ideas and update documents.
— Multimedia authoring software enable users to integrate multimedia elements-text, images, sound, motion, animation into a logical sequence of events.
Internet programs: Communications software manages the transmission of data between computers. Electronic mail software enables users to exchange letter and documents between computers.
Web browsers are software programs that allow people to view information of web site in the form of colorful, on-screen magazine-style “pages” with text, graphics, and sound. Using a browser, users can access search tools known as search engines such as Yahoo, google, etc.
Glitches in software
Basically there are two major drawbacks of applications. Software can come with many more features than you will ever need, this is sometimes called “bloatware.” Software can also come with many flaws this is called “shovelware.” Instruction manuals, help software, telephone help lines, commercial how-to books, and knowledgeable friends can help users deal with bloatware and shovelware
Types of computers
Today the five types of computers available are micro controllers, microcomputers, minicomputers, mainframes, and supercomputers.
— Micro-computer are embedded in machines, such as cars, phones, industrial controllers and kitchen appliances.
— Micro-controllers may be personal computers (PCs) or workstations. PCs include desktop and floor standing units, laptops, notebooks, sub-notebooks, pocket PCs, and pen computers.
— Workstations are sophisticated desktop microcomputers used for technical purposes.
— Minicomputers or midrange computers are intermediate-size machines.
— Mainframes are the traditional size of computer and are used in large companies to handle millions of transactions.
— The high-capacity machines called supercomputers are the fastest calculating devices and are used for large-scale projects, such as in NASA, nuclear power plant, etc.
Any of these last four types of computers may be used as a server, a central computer in a network.
Moral issues
Some ethical concerns in the field of IT are:
Speed and scale: Great amounts of information can be stored, retrieved, and transmitted at a speed and on a scale not possible before. Despite the benefits, this has serious implications “for data security and personal privacy [as well as employment]”, because IT can never be considered totally secure against unauthorized access.
Unpredictability: Computers and communications are pervasive, touching nearly every aspect of our lives. However, compared to other pervasive technologies-such as electricity, television, and automobiles-information technology is a lot less predictable and reliable.
Complexity: The on/off principle underlying computers may be simple, but the systems themselves are often incredibly complex. Indeed, some are so complex that even their creators do not always understand them. This, “often makes them completely unmanageable,” producing massive foul-ups or spectacularly out-of-control costs.
Violation of copyright laws
Intellectual property consists of the products of the human mind. Such property can be protected by copyright, the exclusive legal right that prohibits copying it without the permission of the copyright holder.
Software piracy, network piracy, and plagiarism violate copyright laws. Public domain software, freeware and shareware can be legally copied, which is not the case with proprietary (commercial) software.
Info superhighway
Communications refers to the electronic transfer of data. The kind of data communicated is rapidly changing from analog to digital. The information superhighway is a metaphor for the fusion of telephones and networked computers with television and digital radio.
Developments in telecom
Communications, or telecommunications, has had three important developments: better communications channels, the use of networks, and new sending and receiving devices. Trends in information technology involve connectivity and interactivity.
Connectivity: Also known as online information access, refers to connecting computers to one another by modem or network and communications lines. Connectivity provides, among other things, the benefits of voice mail, email, telecommuting, teleshoping, databases, online services and networks, and electronic bulletin board systems.
Interactivity: It refers to the back-and-forth “dialogue” between communications device. Interactive devices include multimedia computers, personal digital assistants, and “smart boxes,” TV/PCs and WebTVs.
Under development are different versions of a device that combines telephone, television, and personal computer. This device would deliver digitized entertainment, communications, and informational together in one device.
Gaining elementary computer knowledge is just like discovering and beginning your computer journey that lasts a lifetime. Information technology is changing every minute of the day. Every year, you confront hundreds of new IT-related buzz words, concepts, applications, and hardware devices. So make good use of technologies, such as internet, and multimedia programs easily available on CDs, to increase your knowledge-base and be counted as expert computer user.
The writer
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