Computers in Your Future : Complete Edition

by Pfaffenberger, Bryan

• ISBN13: 9780130354686
• ISBN10: 0130354686
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-01-01
• Publisher: Pearson College Div

Summary

For courses in Computer Concepts, Introduction to Computers, Computer Literacy/MIS, CIS, Computer Science, Business. This introduction to computers is noted for its lucid explanations of computing concepts, practical applications of technology theory, and emphasis on the historical and societal impacts of technological innovations. It features integrated coverage of management information systems, networking, email, and the Internet.

Table of Contents

Becoming Fluent with Computers and the Internet
Introducing Computers and the Internet	2	(1)
The Need for Computer Fluency	3	(1)
What Is a Computer, Anyway?	4	(8)
Understanding the Computer: Basic Definitions	4	(2)
What Computers Can't Do (Yet)	6	(1)
The Information Processing Cycle in Action: Batch vs. Interactive Processing	6	(2)
So What?	8	(4)
Computer Systems	12	(1)
Introducing Hardware: The Computer's Physical Components	12	(7)
Input: Getting Data into the Computer	13	(1)
Processing: Transforming Data into Information	14	(1)
Output: Displaying the Information	15	(1)
Storage: Holding Programs and Data for Future Use	16	(1)
Communications Devices	17	(1)
Types of Computers	17	(2)
Introducing Software: Telling the Computer What to Do	19	(1)
Creating Software	19	(1)
Using Software	19	(1)
Types of Software	19	(1)
System Software	19	(1)
Operating System (OS)	19	(1)
System Utilities	20	(1)
Application Software	20	(2)
Packaged vs. Custom Software	20	(1)
Office Applications	21	(1)
The Internet	22
Inside the System Unit
Describing Hardware Performance	2	(1)
Bits and Bytes	2	(1)
Thousands, Millions, and More	2	(1)
Introducing the System Unit	3	(3)
Inside the System Unit	4	(2)
What's on the Motherboard?	6	(11)
System Clock	6	(1)
The Microprocessor	6	(1)
Processor Slots and Sockets	6	(1)
Instruction Set	7	(1)
Control Unit	7	(7)
Benchmarks	14	(1)
Memory	14	(2)
Chipset	16	(1)
Input/Output (I/O) Buses	17	(1)
What's on the Outside of the Box?	17	(4)
Power Switch	17	(1)
Connectors	17	(4)
Front Panel	21	(1)
How Computers Represent Data	21	(1)
Digital vs. Analog Representation	21	(1)
Numbering Systems	22	(1)
Representing Numbers	22	(1)
Representing Very Large and Very Small Numbers	23	(1)
Representing Characters	23
Storing Data: Electronic Filing Cabinets
Memory vs. Storage	2	(2)
Why Is Storage Necessary?	2	(2)
Types of Storage Devices	4	(2)
Read/Write Media vs. Read-Only Media	4	(1)
Sequential vs. Random-Access Storage	4	(1)
Storage Technologies: Magnetic and Optical	5	(1)
The Storage Hierarchy	6	(1)
Capacity of Storage Devices	6	(1)
Speed of Storage Devices (Access Time)	7	(1)
Floppy Disks and Floppy Disk Drives	7	(5)
What Does ``Floppy'' Mean?	7	(1)
Storage Capacities of Floppy Disks	8	(1)
Protecting Your Data	9	(1)
Floppy Disk Drives	9	(1)
How Floppy Drives Work	9	(2)
Formatting: Preparing Disks for Use	11	(1)
Beyond the Floppy: High-Capacity Disks and Drives	11	(1)
Hard Disks	12	(5)
Why Are Hard Disks Needed?	12	(1)
How Hard Disks Work	12	(2)
Factors Affecting Hard Disk Performance	14	(1)
Hard Disk Interfaces	14	(1)
Disk Caches: Improving a Hard Disk's Performance	14	(1)
Hard Disk Longevity	15	(1)
RAID	15	(1)
Removable Hard Disks	16	(1)
Magnetic Tape: Still Useful	17	(1)
CD-ROM Discs and Drives	17	(2)
CD-R and CD-RW Discs and Recorders	18	(1)
DVD-ROM Discs and Drives	19	(1)
More Optical Storage Technologies	20	(1)
Storage Horizons	20	(1)
FMD-ROM	20	(1)
Solid State Storage Devices	20	(2)
Enterprise Storage Systems	22
Input and Output: Data In, Information Out
Buying and Upgrading Your Computer System
The Four Types of Input	2	(18)
Input Devices: The Computer's ``Senses''	3	(1)
Introducing Keyboards	3	(1)
Using a Computer Keyboard	3	(3)
Alternative Keyboards	6	(1)
Entering International Characters	6	(1)
Health Risks of Keyboard Use	6	(1)
Speech Recognition	7	(1)
Pointing Devices	8	(3)
Types of Mice	11	(1)
Health Risks of Mouse Usage	11	(1)
More Ways to Control the Computer	12	(1)
More Ways to Get Data Into the Computer	13	(4)
Input Devices in Business, Industry, and Science	17	(3)
Understanding Output: Making Data Meaningful	20	(1)
Output Devices: Engaging Our Senses	21	(5)
Visual Display Systems	21	(4)
Data Projectors	25	(1)
Printers	26	(1)
Impact Printers	26	(1)
Nonimpact Printers	26	(2)
Plotters	28	(1)
Fax Output	28	(1)
Audio Output: Sound Cards and Speakers	28	(1)
Tactile Feedback	28
System Software: Keeping the Computer Running Smoothly
Operating System (OS): The Computer's Traffic Cop	2	(9)
Starting the Computer	3	(2)
Managing Programs	5	(1)
Managing Memory	6	(1)
Handling Input and Output	7	(1)
User Interface	7	(4)
Exploring Popular Operating Systems: A Guided Tour	11	(7)
UNIX	11	(1)
Xerox PARC and the First GUI	11	(1)
MS-DOS	12	(1)
Mac OS	12	(1)
Microsoft Windows 3.x	12	(1)
Microsoft Windows 95 and 98	13	(1)
Microsoft Windows CE	14	(1)
Microsoft Windows NT	14	(1)
Microsoft Windows 2000	14	(1)
Microsoft Windows ME	15	(1)
Microsoft Windows XP	15	(1)
Linux	16	(2)
System Utilities: Tools for Housekeeping	18	(1)
File Management	18	(1)
File Finders	19	(1)
Backup Utilities	20	(1)
Antivirus Software	20	(1)
File Compression Utilities	21	(1)
Disk Scanning Utilities	21	(1)
File Defragmentation Programs	21
Application Software: Essentials for Knowledge Workers
Multimedia and Virtual Reality
Horizontal versus Vertical Applications	2	(1)
Types of Application Software	3	(1)
System Requirements	3	(1)
Commercial Programs, Shareware, and Freeware	4	(1)
Software Licenses	5	(2)
Distribution Methods	7	(1)
Documentation	7	(1)
Software Versions	7	(1)
Installation	8	(1)
Registration	8	(1)
Visual Metaphors: Working in Familiar Ways	8	(2)
Integrated Programs and Suites: The All-in-One Approach	10	(1)
Using Application Software	11	(6)
Installing Applications	12	(1)
Launching Applications	12	(1)
Understanding the Application's Window	12	(2)
Getting Help	14	(1)
Understanding Menus	14	(1)
Choosing Preferences	15	(1)
Using Popup Menus	15	(1)
Using Wizards	15	(1)
Creating New Documents	16	(1)
Open an Existing Document	16	(1)
Saving Your Work	16	(1)
Exiting the Application	16	(1)
Shutting Down Your System	17	(1)
Web Integration: A New Way to Get the Word Out	17
The Internet: The Network of Networks
Using E-mail
Introducing the Internet: The Network of Networks	2	(6)
A Galactic Network	4	(1)
Interoperability	4	(1)
Leave the Lower Layers to the LANs and WANs	5	(1)
The Internet versus Online Services	5	(1)
The Internet's History	6	(2)
Internet Software: Clients and Servers	8	(2)
Exploring Internet Services	10	(6)
Electronic Mail (E-mail): Staying in Touch	10	(1)
The World Wide Web (WWW): Accessing Information	10	(1)
FTP: Transferring Files	11	(2)
Usenet: Joining Online Discussions	13	(1)
IRC: Text Chatting in Real Time	14	(1)
Instant Messaging	15	(1)
Internet Telephony: Real-Time Voice and Video	15	(1)
How the Internet Works: A Geography of Cyberspace	16	(4)
Configuring your Computer for Internet Access	16	(1)
Accessing the Internet	17	(1)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	17	(1)
Backbones	18	(1)
The Internet Protocols (TCP/IP)	18	(1)
The Domain Name System	19	(1)
Intranets: Using TCP/IP Inside the Enterprise	20	(1)
The Future of the Internet	20	(1)
More Internet Addresses	20	(1)
More Bandwidth	21
The World Wide Web and E-Commerce
Creating a Web Page
Welcome to the Web	2	(5)
The Hypertext Concept	2	(1)
Web Browsers and Web Servers	3	(2)
Web Addresses (URLs)	5	(1)
Web Protocols	6	(1)
Web Page Design Tools	6	(1)
Browsing the Web	7	(4)
Exploring Your Browser's Window	7	(1)
Default Start Page	7	(1)
Accessing Web Pages	7	(2)
Using the Back and Forward Buttons	9	(1)
Using Navigation Aids	9	(1)
History List	10	(1)
Favorites and Bookmarks	10	(1)
Finding Information on the Web	11	(2)
Understanding Information Discovery Tools	11	(1)
Subject Guides	11	(1)
Search Engines	12	(1)
Search Techniques	13	(1)
Inclusion and Exclusion	13	(1)
Wildcards	14	(1)
Phrase and Boolean Searches	14	(1)
Evaluating the Information You've Found	14	(3)
Rules for Critically Evaluating Web Pages	15	(1)
Locating Material in Published Works	15	(1)
Authoritative Sources Online	15	(2)
Electronic Commerce	17	(1)
Business-to-Business E-Commerce	18	(1)
Online Shopping	18	(3)
Secure Electronic Transactions (SET)	21	(1)
Online Banking	21	(1)
Online Stock Trading	22
Telecommunications: Exchanging Data Via the Telephone System
Understanding the Telephone System	2	(6)
Quality of Service	2	(1)
Local Exchange Carriers (LECs)	2	(1)
Long-Distance Transmission Media	3	(1)
Standards and Regulations	4	(2)
More Ways to Access the System	6	(2)
The PSTN in Perspective	8	(1)
Modems: From Digital to Analog and Back	8	(2)
How Modems Work	8	(1)
Asynchronous Communication	8	(1)
Modulation Protocols	8	(1)
Fax	9	(1)
Digital Telephony: Living with Twisted Pair	10	(2)
Bandwidth	10	(1)
Last Mile Technologies	11	(1)
Alternatives to Digital Telephony	12	(3)
Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS)	13	(1)
Cable Modems	13	(1)
Electrical Power Systems	13	(2)
Convergence: Is It a Phone or a Computer?	15	(1)
The Everything PC	15	(1)
TV Internet Set-Tops	16	(1)
Personal Communication Service (PCS)	16	(1)
Internet Telephony	16	(1)
Internet Faxing	17
Networks: Superhighways for Digital Information
Introducing Computer Networks: Synergy at Work	2	(2)
What Is a Computer Network?	2	(1)
Types of Computer Networks: LANs and WANs	3	(1)
Networking Synergies in a Nutshell	3	(1)
Network Fundamentals	4	(3)
Physical Media	4	(1)
Switching and Routing Techniques	4	(1)
Protocols	5	(1)
Network Layers	6	(1)
Local Area Networks (LANs): Limited Reach, Fast Connections	7	(4)
Networking Hardware: Network Interface Cards (NICs)	8	(1)
Networking Software	8	(1)
Media	8	(1)
LAN Topologies	9	(1)
LAN Technologies	10	(1)
LAN Protocols	10	(1)
Wide Area Networks (WANs): Long-Haul Carriers	11	(2)
How WANs Work	13	(1)
How WANs Are Organized	13	(1)
WAN Protocols	14	(1)
WAN Applications	14
Privacy and Encryption
Privacy vs. Encryption	2	(1)
Privacy in Cyberspace	2	(2)
The Problem: Collection of Information Without Consent	3	(1)
The Internet Factor	4	(1)
Protecting Privacy: Basic Principles	4	(1)
Anonymity	4	(1)
How Is Technology Eroding Privacy and Anonymity?	5	(2)
Cookies	5	(1)
Global Unique Identifiers (GUIDs)	6	(1)
Is Self-Regulation Sufficient?	7	(1)
Privacy at Work	8	(1)
Protecting Your Privacy Online	9	(1)
The Encryption Debate	9	(1)
Encryption Basics	9	(1)
The Problem of Key Interception	10	(1)
Public Key Encryption	11	(1)
Key Length	11	(1)
Public Key Encryption Algorithms	12	(1)
Digital Signatures and Certificates	12	(1)
Toward a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)	13	(1)
Public Security Issues of Strong Encryption	13	(3)
Export Restrictions	16	(1)
The Academic Angle	16	(1)
The Global Dimension	16
Computer Crime and Security
Ethics: Doing the Right Thing
Scope of the Problem	2	(1)
Computer Crime and Cybercrime: Tools and Techniques	2	(5)
Tricks for Obtaining Passwords	2	(2)
Salami Shaving and Data Diddling	4	(1)
Forgery	4	(1)
Security Loophole Detection Programs	4	(1)
Computer Viruses	4	(2)
More Rogue Programs	6	(1)
Meet the Attackers	7	(4)
Crackers, Cyber Gangs, and Virus Authors	7	(1)
Disgruntled Employees	8	(1)
Spies	8	(1)
Swindlers	9	(1)
Shills	9	(1)
Cyberstalkers and Sexual Predators	9	(1)
Information Warfare	10	(1)
What's at Stake?	11	(1)
Consumption of Staff Time	11	(1)
Downtime	11	(1)
Fraud and Theft	11	(1)
Adverse Publicity	11	(1)
Vandalism	12	(1)
Character Assassination	12	(1)
Loss of Privacy	12	(1)
Risks to Public Safety	12	(1)
Denial of Service	12	(1)
Playing it Safe	12	(1)
Protecting Computers from Power-Related Problems	13	(1)
Controlling Access	13	(1)
Using Firewalls	14	(1)
Using Encryption	14	(2)
Using Antivirus Programs	16	(1)
Backing Up Data	16	(1)
Avoiding Scams	16	(1)
Preventing Cyberstalkers	17
Databases and Information Systems
Database Concepts: The Essentials	2	(1)
The Hierarchy of Data	2	(1)
Introducing Database Management Systems (DBMS)	3	(1)
Data Integrity	4	(1)
Data Independence	4	(1)
Avoidance of Data Redundancy	4	(1)
Data Security	4	(1)
Data Maintenance	4	(1)
Types of Database Programs	4	(2)
File Management Programs	4	(1)
Database Management Systems	5	(1)
Data Warehousing and Data Mining	6	(1)
Client/Server Database Systems	6	(1)
The Internet Connection: Going Public with Data	7	(1)
Information Systems: Tools for Global Competitiveness	8	(1)
Computerized Information Systems (CIS): Serving an Organization's Needs	8	(1)
Understanding Complex Organizations: The Power Pyramid	9	(1)
Functional Divisions of an Organization	9	(1)
Chain of Command	10	(2)
Characteristics of Valuable Information	12	(1)
Techniques of Information Reduction	12	(1)
Information Systems in Organizations: A Survey	12	(4)
Transaction Processing System (TPS)	13	(1)
Management Information System (MIS)	13	(1)
Decision Support System (DSS)	13	(1)
Executive Information System (EIS)	13	(1)
Expert System	14	(1)
Knowledge Management System	15	(1)
Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW)	15	(1)
Workflow Automation	15	(1)
Business Process Reengineering (BPR)	16	(1)
Computers in the Retail Sector	16	(1)
At the Checkout Stand	16
Systems Analysis and Design
Systems Analysts: Communication Counts	2	(1)
The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC): A Problem Solving Approach	3	(2)
The Five Phases of SDLC	3	(1)
Avoiding Mistakes	3	(1)
Waterfall Model	4	(1)
Phase 1: Identifying the Problem and Opportunities	5	(3)
Recognizing the Need for the System	5	(1)
Defining the Problem	5	(1)
Identifying Opportunities	6	(1)
Developing a Plan	6	(1)
Determining Feasibility	6	(2)
Preparing the Project Proposal	8	(1)
Phase 2: Analyzing and Documenting the Existing Information System	8	(1)
Analyzing the Existing System	8	(1)
Determining the New System's Requirements	8	(1)
Phase 3: Designing the System	8	(2)
Phase 4: Implementing the System	10	(1)
Deciding to Build or Buy	10	(1)
Developing the Software	11	(1)
Testing	11	(1)
Training	11	(1)
Converting Systems	11	(1)
Phase 5: Supporting the System	11
Programming Languages and Program Development
First-Generation Languages: 1s and Os	2	(1)
Second-Generation Languages: A Little Easier	2	(1)
Third-Generation Languages: Programming Comes of Age	3	(2)
Compilers and Interpreters	3	(1)
Spaghetti Code and the Great Software Crisis	4	(1)
Structured Programming Languages	4	(1)
Modular Programming Languages	4	(1)
Fourth-Generation Languages: Getting Away From Procedure	5	(1)
Object-Oriented Programming: A Revolution in the Making?	5	(2)
Eliminating the Program versus Data Distinction	5	(1)
What Is an Object?	6	(1)
Classes	6	(1)
Inheritance	6	(1)
Rapid Application Development (RAD)	7	(1)
Middleware (Objects across the Enterprise)	7	(1)
A Guide to Programming Languages: One Size Doesn't Fit All	7	(4)
COBOL and Fortran: For Some People, Retro Rules!	7	(1)
Structured and Modular Languages	8	(2)
Object-Oriented (OO) Languages	10	(1)
Introducing the Program Development Life Cycle (PDLC)	11	(2)
Phase 1: Defining the Problem	13	(1)
Phase 2: Designing the Program	13	(4)
Phase 3: Coding the Program	17	(1)
Phase 4: Testing and Debugging the Program	17	(1)
Phase 5: Formalizing the Solution	17	(1)
Phase 6: Implementing and Maintaining the Program	17
Careers and Certification
Emerging Technologies
Traditional Information Technology (IT) Career Paths	3	(4)
Training for Traditional IT Careers	4	(1)
Traditional Methods of Continuing Education	5	(2)
New Information Technology (IT) Career Paths	7	(3)
Sought-After Business Skills	7	(1)
Sought-After Technology Skills	8	(2)
New Technologies, New Jobs	10	(2)
Certification	10	(2)
The Effect of Computers on Overall Employment	12