Exploring the Digital Domain: An Introduction to Computers and Information Fluency, Second Edition

by Abernethy,Kenneth

• ISBN13: 9780534407070
• ISBN10: 0534407072
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-12-10
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

Unit I: GETTING STARTED. 1. Introduction: Understanding Information Technology. 2. Information and the Digital Domain. 3. Computing Basics. 4. Connecting to the Digital Domain. Unit II: TEXT AND NUMBERS. 5. Creating Documents. 6. Numeric Processing. 7. Managing Information. Unit III: SIGHTS AND SOUNDS. 8. Digital Images. 9. Making Pictures with Computers. 10. The Sound and the FuryDigital Style. Unit IV: INSIDE THE COMPUTER. 11. The Basic Organization of Computers. 12. Storing Data on Your Computer. 13. Input and Output. Unit V: RUNNING THE SHOWSOFTWARE. 14. Developing Applications. 15. Operating Systems. Unit VI: NETWORKS. 16. Data Communications. 17. Local Area Networks. 18. The Internet. 19. Internet Applications: Raising the Bar. Unit VII: PUTTING INFORMATION TO WORK. 20. Packaging Information: Data Compression and Security. 21. Emerging Digital Technologies. Index.

Table of Contents

PART ONE Getting Started
Chapter 1 Introduction: Understanding Information Technology
The Nature of Information	4	(2)
Technologies and Information Technology	6	(1)
Digital Information Technology	7	(6)
Digital Documents	8	(1)
Digital Numeric Processing	8	(1)
Digital Music	8	(1)
Digital Photography	8	(1)
Digital Graphic Arts	9	(1)
Digital Television	9	(1)
Virtual Reality	9	(1)
Digital Communications	10	(1)
The Internet	10	(1)
The World Wide Web	11	(1)
Computing and Information Technology	11	(2)
Who Benefits from Digital Information Technology?	13	(3)
Digitization and the Information Consumer	13	(1)
Digitization and the Information Provider	14	(2)
Digitization and the Information Worker	16	(1)
About This Book	16	(4)
Chapter 2 The Digital Domain
What Is the Digital Domain?	20	(1)
Analog Versus Digital Information	21	(1)
Advantages of the Digital Domain	22	(4)
Digital Basics: Binary Bits and Bytes	26	(3)
Working with Binary Numbers	28	(1)
Converting Information to Digital Form	29	(8)
Digitizing Discrete Forms of Information	29	(1)
Digitizing Analog Forms of Information	30	(7)
Chapter 3 Computing Basics
Computer Systems	37	(5)
Basic Hardware	40	(1)
Software	40	(2)
Operating Systems	42	(8)
Managing Files	43	(4)
User Interface	47	(1)
Human-Computer Interaction: Text-based User Interfaces	47	(1)
Graphical User Interfaces	47	(3)
Applications	50	(4)
Chapter 4 Connecting to the Digital Domain
Networks	54	(2)
The Internet	56	(1)
The World Wide Web	57	(8)
Hypermedia	57	(1)
Clients, Servers, and Protocols	58	(3)
Web Browsers	61	(4)
Researching Information on the Web	65	(13)
Web Directories	66	(1)
Search Engines	66	(1)
Keyword Searching Using a Search Engine	67	(3)
Improving Our Search Queries	70	(1)
Web Portals and Hybrids	71	(7)
PART TWO Text and Numbers
Chapter 5 Creating Documents
Brief History of Text Processing	78	(1)
Representing Textual Information	79	(6)
Digitizing the Character Set	79	(1)
Storing the Character Set-ASCII	80	(3)
Unicode	83	(2)
Basic Features of Word Processing Software	85	(3)
Inserting and Deleting Text	85	(1)
Cut, Copy, and Paste	85	(1)
Formatting Characters	86	(1)
Formatting Paragraphs	87	(1)
Displaying Text: What You See Is What You Get	87	(1)
Basic Features of Desktop Publishing Software	88	(4)
Internal Document Structure and Frames	88	(1)
Relating Frames to Other Frames	89	(1)
Greater Control Over Documents and Document Elements	90	(2)
Publishing Web Documents Using HTML	92	(14)
HTML: Philosophy and Design	92	(1)
What Is a Markup Language?	93	(1)
HTML: General Document Structure	94	(1)
HTML: Formatting Text	95	(3)
HTML: Inline Graphics and Images	98	(1)
HTML: Hyperlinks	99	(1)
HTML: Other Design Elements	100	(1)
Creating Web Pages Using HTML Editors	100	(6)
Chapter 6 Numeric Processing
More About Binary Number Representations	106	(2)
Integers and Limited Range	108	(1)
Decimal Numbers Limited Range and Precision	109	(3)
Infinite Binary Fraction Representations	110	(1)
Floating Point Representation	110	(2)
Numeric Processing and Software Libraries	112	(1)
Basic Features of Spreadsheet Software	113	(2)
Worksheet Organization	113	(1)
Entering Data in a Worksheet	114	(1)
Using Formulas in a Worksheet	114	(1)
Copying Formulas with Relative Cell References	114	(1)
Additional Features of Spreadsheet Software	115	(3)
Using Absolute Cell References	115	(1)
Using Built-In Functions	116	(1)
Using Logical Functions	116	(1)
Displaying Data in Charts	116	(1)
Spreadsheets as Decision Support Tools	117	(1)
Computing with Mathematical Software	118	(5)
Chapter 7 Managing Information
Brief History of Database Computing	123	(1)
Files, Records, and Fields	123	(1)
File Management Systems	123	(1)
The Network Database Model	124	(1)
The Relational Database Model	125	(1)
Comparing the Network and Relational Database Models	126	(3)
Examples of Network Model Databases	127	(1)
Examples of Relational Model Databases	127	(2)
Basic Database Management System Concepts	129	(2)
Defining the Database Structure	129	(1)
Entering, Editing, and Viewing Data-Forms	130	(1)
Sorting Data	130	(1)
Database Reports	130	(1)
Subtotals and Control Breaks in Reports	131	(1)
Using Query Languages	131	(1)
Databases and the Web	132	(1)
Multimedia Databases	133	(6)
PART THREE Sights and Sounds
Chapter 8 Digital Images
Images and Digital Images	139	(3)
Representing Black-and-White Images	142	(2)
Representing Color Images	144	(5)
Storing Color Images on Computers	147	(1)
Indexed Color	148	(1)
Reproducing Color on Computers	149	(3)
Reproducing Color for Print Devices	149	(1)
Reproducing Color for Other Video Monitors	150	(1)
Reproducing 8-bit and Indexed Color for the Web	150	(2)
Digital Image Layers	152	(3)
Alpha Channels and Masks	152	(3)
Storing Images	155	(1)
Digitizing Images	156	(1)
Processing Images in the Digital Domain	157	(6)
Global Filtering	157	(3)
Local Filtering	160	(3)
Editing Digital Images	163	(6)
Chapter 9 Making Pictures with Computers
Creating Digital Images	169	(4)
History of Computer Graphics	169	(1)
Making Pictures with Numbers	170	(2)
Storing Graphic Images	172	(1)
Painting Programs	173	(5)
The Image and the Image Canvas	174	(1)
Painting Tools and Features	175	(1)
Editing and Special Effects	176	(2)
Drawing with Lines, Curves, and Objects	178	(9)
Drawing Programs	180	(3)
Illustration Programs	183	(3)
Conclusion: Rules and Exceptions	186	(1)
Three-Dimensional Graphics	187	(6)
Model Description	188	(1)
Scene Description	189	(2)
Rendering	191	(2)
Animation	193	(5)
Object Animation	193	(1)
Modeling Animation	194	(1)
Authoring Animation	194	(4)
Chapter 10 The Sound and the Fury-Digital Style
Digital Sampling of Sound	198	(7)
Sampling Rates and Frequencies	199	(1)
Digitizing a Sound Wave	200	(1)
ADCs and DACs	200	(2)
Resolution and Dynamic Range	202	(1)
Storage Requirements for Digitized Sound	203	(2)
Synthesizing Music	205	(2)
Combining Simple Waveforms	206	(1)
MIDI Instruments and Devices	206	(1)
Speech Synthesis and Recognition	207	(4)
Computer Speech Synthesis	207	(2)
Automated Speech Understanding	209	(2)
Editing Digitized Sound	211	(2)
Changing Pitch and Setting Recording Options	211	(1)
Special Effects Editing	212	(1)
Synthesis Tools	213	(1)
What Is Digital Video?	213	(2)
Capture	213	(1)
Editing	214	(1)
Playback	214	(1)
What Does Digital Video Have to Offer?	215	(3)
Digital Video Is Easily Scalable	216	(1)
Digital Video Is Randomly Accessible	216	(1)
Digital Video Is Stored and Transmitted Efficiently	216	(1)
Digital Video Offers Powerful Editing Capabilities	216	(1)
Digital Video Offers Additional Playback Features	217	(1)
Digital Video Has Interactive Potential	217	(1)
Resource Requirements for Digital Video	217	(1)
Editing Digital Video	218	(8)
Clip Logging and Assembling	218	(1)
Transitions	219	(1)
Rotoscoping	219	(1)
Compositing	219	(7)
PART FOUR Inside the Computer
Chapter 11 The Basic Organization of Computers
The Modern Computer System	226	(1)
Electronic Digital Computers	227	(2)
The Von Neumann Machine Model	229	(4)
The Machine Design	230	(3)
Computer Organization	233	(4)
Managing Data: Main Memory	233	(2)
Inside the CPU	235	(1)
Machine Languages	236	(1)
Scale and Performance Factors	237	(8)
Chapter 12 Storing Data on Your Computer
Main Memory	245	(1)
The Processor, Memory, and I/O Subsystem	246	(1)
Types of Secondary Memory	247	(1)
The Memory and Storage Hierarchy	248	(4)
How Much Storage?	252	(1)
Direct Access Storage Devices and Media	252	(14)
Magnetic Floppy Disks and Drives	253	(1)
Magnetic Hard Disks and Drives	254	(3)
Removable Magnetic Hard Disks and Drives	257	(1)
CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read-Only Memory)	258	(2)
CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable)	260	(1)
CD-RW (Compact Disc Rewritable)	261	(1)
DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)	262	(4)
Chapter 13 Input and Output	266	(22)
Input Devices	266	(6)
Keyboard	267	(1)
Mouse	267	(1)
Scanners	268	(2)
Musical Instrument Digital Interface	270	(1)
Sound Card	270	(1)
Video Capture Card	271	(1)
Digital Cameras	271	(1)
Digitizing Tablet	272	(1)
Output Devices	272	(6)
CRT Video Display Monitor	272	(3)
Flat-panel Display Monitors	275	(2)
Printer	277	(1)
MIDI Synthesizer	278	(1)
Connecting Your Peripherals	278	(10)
Internal Bus Types	279	(1)
External Parallel Connections	280	(1)
External Serial Bus Types	280	(8)
PART FIVE Running the Show Software
Chapter 14 Developing Applications
Understanding the Programming Process	288	(1)
A Sample Program	289	(2)
The Software Development Cycle	291	(3)
Analyzing the Task	291	(1)
Devising a Plan	292	(1)
Creating an Executable Program	292	(1)
Testing and Correcting the Program	293	(1)
Developing Reliable Software	294	(2)
The Inherent Complexities of Developing Software Systems	294	(1)
Developing Modern Large-Scale Software Systems	295	(1)
High-Level Programming Languages	296	(2)
Imperative Procedural Languages	297	(1)
Object-Oriented Languages	297	(1)
Nonprocedural Languages	298	(1)
Programming Languages for the Rest of Us	298	(5)
Languages for Internet Applications	298	(1)
Languages for Extending and Making Applications Work Together	299	(1)
Languages for Specialized Applications	299	(4)
Chapter 15 Operating Systems
Managing the System	303	(1)
Programs and Processes	304	(1)
Anatomy of a Single-User Operating System	305	(4)
Supervisor	305	(1)
I/O Control Drivers	306	(1)
Memory Manager	307	(1)
File Manager	308	(1)
User Interface	308	(1)
Anatomy of a Multiuser Operating System	309	(2)
CPU Scheduler	310	(1)
Virtual Memory	310	(1)
Multithreading Operating Systems	311	(7)
PART SIX Networks
Chapter 16 Data Communications
The Basic Communications Model	318	(2)
Information Source	318	(1)
Transmitter	318	(1)
Communication Channel	319	(1)
Receiver	319	(1)
Destination	319	(1)
Noise Source	319	(1)
Data Encoding and Signal Transmission	320	(5)
Encoding the Data	320	(1)
Transmitting the Signal	321	(3)
Bandwidth	324	(1)
Signal Strength	324	(1)
Noise	324	(1)
Classifying Networks	325	(5)
Distance	326	(1)
Media	326	(1)
Signal	327	(1)
Switching	328	(2)
Connecting at Home	330	(9)
Analog Modem Connections	330	(1)
Cable Modem Connections	331	(2)
Digital Subscriber Line Connections	333	(6)
Chapter 17 Local Area Networks
Characteristics of a LAN	339	(2)
Connectivity	339	(1)
Resource Sharing	340	(1)
Limited Geography	340	(1)
Transparency	340	(1)
Network Hardware and Software Support	340	(1)
Other Factors	341	(1)
Costs and Benefits of LANs	341	(1)
Differentiating LANs	342	(7)
Transmission Media: How LANs Are Connected	342	(2)
Topologies: How LANs Are Organized	344	(2)
Media Access Control: How Nodes Send and Receive Data	346	(2)
Networking Software	348	(1)
Extending LANs	349	(3)
Repeaters, Bridges, Switches, and Routers	349	(3)
Wireless Networking	352	(8)
Infrared Broadcasting	352	(1)
Radio Frequency Broadcasting	352	(1)
WLAN Topologies	353	(1)
Wi-Fi(802.11b)	354	(1)
HomeRF	355	(1)
Other Contenders	355	(1)
Personal Area Networks: Bluetooth	355	(5)
Chapter 18 The Internet
A Short History of the Internet	360	(3)
How the Internet Works	363	(6)
Datagrams, IP Addressing, and Routers	363	(2)
Domain Names	365	(1)
Applications and Transport Services	366	(2)
Client/Server Systems Revisited	368	(1)
Basic Internet Applications	369	(4)
Electronic Mail	370	(1)
Remote Logins	371	(1)
File Transfers	371	(1)
Running the Web: HTTP	372	(1)
Information Highway Express Lane: Internet2	373	(5)
Chapter 19 Internet Applications: Raising the Bar
Commerce on the Web	378	(1)
Client-side and Server-side Scripting	379	(1)
Client-side Processing and Dynamic HTML (DHTML)	380	(6)
Cascading Style Sheets	380	(2)
Client-side Scripting with JavaScript	382	(1)
HTML Forms and Scripts for Data Entry	383	(2)
Data Binding in DHTML	385	(1)
Server-side Processing	386	(2)
Java Programming	386	(1)
Java Applets	386	(1)
Java's Cross-platform Capability	387	(1)
Active Server Pages	388	(1)
XML	388	(8)
PART SEVEN Putting Information to Work
Chapter 20 Packaging Information: Data Compression and Security
Data Compression: The Basics	396	(1)
Compressing Text and Numeric Data	397	(2)
Run-Length Encoding	397	(1)
Huffman Codes	398	(1)
LZW Compression	398	(1)
Compressing Images	399	(2)
GIF Compression	399	(1)
PNG Compression	399	(1)
TIFF Compression	400	(1)
JPEG Compression	400	(1)
Compressing Video	401	(1)
Compressing Audio	402	(1)
Data Security Through Encryption	403	(9)
Ciphers and Keys	404	(1)
Symmetric or Secret Key Ciphers	405	(1)
Asymmetric or Public Key Ciphers	406	(2)
Authentication and Digital Signatures	408
Chapter 21 Emerging Digital Technologies
Peer-to-Peer Networking	412	(1)
Grid Computing	413	(2)
Wireless Communication and Computing	415	(2)
Internet on a Chip	417	(1)
Nanotechnology	418	(1)
Data Mining	419	(2)
A Glimpse Further Down the Road	421