Transcript Tomorrow`s Technology and You 8th Edition

© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
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Appendix A
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 Describe the basic parts of a PC and how they
work together.
 Explain the relationship between hardware and
software.
 Use a keyboard and mouse to enter and edit text.
 Explain how files are organized within a PC.
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 Explain how the Internet extends the functionality
of a PC.
 Describe some of the risks of Internet use and how
to minimize them.
 Use a Windows PC or Macintosh to explore the
Tomorrow’s Technology and You Web site.
© 2008 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
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 This Appendix provides basic information to help
you understand the text book.
 You can use the questions at the end of the
Appendix to check your current knowledge and
determine if you need to review the information in
the Appendix.
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
Built around a tiny microprocessor that controls
the workings of the system

This central processing unit, or CPU, is usually housed
in a box.
 Serves as command central for the entire computer
system

The CPU is the brains of the computer.
 Controls the operation of the core computer components
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Peripheral devices (peripherals): external devices
connected via cables to the system unit
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System unit includes built-in memory( RAM)
and a hard disk.
 CPU uses memory for instant access to
information.
 Hard disk serves as a longer-term storage device:
Stores
large quantities of information
A permanent fixture in the system unit
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Removable media: disks that can be separated from
their drives
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The most popular types are 5-1/4 inch optical disks.
Typical PC system unit includes a CD/DVD-RW drive.
Internal drives are included in the system unit.
External drives are attached to the system unit via cables.
Other system unit components may include:
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Video display card
Sound card
Network interface card
Modem
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CD-ROM drive
Monitor
Diskette drive
Mouse
Keyboard
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Clicking the mouse
Dragging the mouse
Other mouse operations:
 Double click
 Right click
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Entering, Editing, and Formatting Text
Work on a word processing document using standard
PC techniques and tools:
As
you type, your text displayed on screen and stored in RAM
Screen appearance the same as the printed version – WYSIWYG
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Tools:
– stores text from Cut or Copy of text
Find and Replace – for making repetitive changes
Clipboard
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Formatting:
Change
the way the words look on the page
Adjust the size and shape of the text to achieve a certain look
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
The CPU is controlled by software—instructions
that tell it what to do.
 System software takes care of behind-the scenes
details.
Operating
system (OS)
The operating system determines what your screen
display looks like as you work and how you tell the
computer what you want it
to do.
Most PCs today use some version of the
Microsoft Windows operating system.
Macintosh computers use some version of Apple’s
Mac OS.
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
Application programs (applications) are software tools that
enable you to use a computer for specific purposes.
 A document is a file created by an application, regardless of
whether it has actually been printed.
 Applications and documents are two different types of files.
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A File is a named collection of data stored on a computer disk or
some other storage medium.
Applications contain instructions that can be executed by the
computer.
Applications are sometimes called executable files.
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Documents contain passive data rather than instructions.
Documents are sometimes called data files.
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 In Windows and
the Mac OS, a file is represented by a
name and an icon.
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Extension—a string of (usually) three characters
Follows a period (.) at the end of the file name
Gives more information about the file’s origin or use
 Files
can be organized into collections using folders
(directories).
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The operating system allows you to:
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Folders can be organized hierarchically—a folder can
contain other folders, which in turn can contain still more
folders.
 create folders,
 give them meaningful names, and
store documents and other files inside them.
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Modern operating systems include Search and Find
commands that can help find files no matter where
they might be stored on a system.
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A wide range of multimedia activities are supported.
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Search for file names or for words or phrases inside a
document.
These are the largest files: videos, songs, or images.
Reducing file size is key to managing storage; the process
is called compression.
Back-up of information ensures that crucial data is not
lost.
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Computers can be connected to a network.
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Direct connection: a cable connects computer to
another computer or device close by
Remote access connection: used when computer
isn’t physically close to the network
Using a modem, a remote computer can connect to a
network through an ordinary phone line.
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A network can be connected to other networks.
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Connected through cables, wireless radio
transmissions, or other means
The Internet is an elaborate network of
interconnected networks that is dramatically
changing the way people work.
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Using
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the Internet, you can:
Study material designed to supplement this book,
including late-breaking news, interactive study aids,
and multimedia simulations that can’t be printed on
paper
Send a message to people, around town or around the
world, and receive replies almost as quickly as the
recipients can read the messages and type their
responses
Explore vast libraries of research material, ranging
from classic scholarly works to contemporary reference
works, and get medical, legal, or technical advice from
a wide variety of experts
Listen to live radio broadcasts from around the world
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Participate in discussions or play games with people all
over the globe who share your interests
Download free software or music clips from servers all
over the world onto your computer
Order a custom-built computer, car, or condominium
Track hourly changes in the stock markets and buy and
sell stocks based on those changes
Take a course for college credit from a school thousands
of miles away
Publish your own writings, drawings, photos, and
multimedia works so that Internet users all over the
world can view them
Start your own business and have a worldwide clientele
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
The World Wide Web (WWW) makes the
Internet accessible to people all over the
planet.
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The WWW includes a wealth of multimedia content
accessible through simple point-and-click programs
called Web browsers.
It is made up of millions of interlinked documents
called Web pages.
A collection of related pages stored on the same
computer is called a Web site.
Each Web page has a unique address:
 Referred to as a URL (uniform resource locator)
 For example, the URL for this book’s home page is
http://www.prenhall.com/beekman
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At
the heart of the Web is the concept of
hypertext.
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Using a Web browser, you can jump from one Web
page to another by clicking hyperlinks (often called
just links)—words, pictures, or menu items that act as
buttons.
Browsers have Back and Forward buttons.
Most browsers include tools called bookmarks or
favorites for keeping personal lists of memorable sites.
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Search engines are used to locate information on the
Web.
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They are built around a database that catalogs Web locations
based
on content.
Some search engines use researchers to organize and evaluate
Web sites.
Other search engines use software to search the Web and
catalog information
automatically.
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A directory or subject tree is a hierarchical catalog of
Web sites compiled by researchers.
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The directory is used to repeatedly narrow a search.
The search engine at Yahoo! is probably the best-known
example of this technique: http://www.yahoo.com/.
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When you sign up for an email account, you
receive:
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A user name (sometimes called a login name
or alias)
A storage area for messages (usually called a
mailbox)
Sign up for accounts through your school,
your company, or a private Internet service
provider (ISP).
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Any user can send a mail message to anyone else,
regardless of whether the recipient is currently logged
in—connected to the network.
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The message will be waiting in the recipient’s inbox the
next time he or she launches his or her email program and
logs in.
An email message can be addressed to one person or
hundreds of people.
Most email messages are plain text, without the kinds of
formatting and graphic images found in printed documents.
Email messages can carry documents, pictures, multimedia
files, and other computer files as attachments.
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
Despite its wonders, the Internet can be a dangerous
place.
 Once you connect a computer to a network or the
Internet, you dramatically increase the risk that your
system will be compromised in some way.
 The most common form of Internet-based security
risk is probably spam, or junk mail.
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Most email programs now include spam filters.
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Viruses are a more sinister email problem.
Another problem on the Internet is password theft.
 A wider but related issue concerns identity (ID) theft.
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 PCs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but
they’re all made up of two things—the
physical parts of the computer, called
hardware, and the software instructions that
tell the hardware what to do.
 A computer’s operating system software takes
care of the details of the computer’s operation;
application software provides specific tools
for computer users.
 PCs can be networked to other computers
using cables, radio waves, or other means; a
computer can also connect to a network
through standard phone lines using a modem.
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 The Internet is a global network of
computer networks used for education,
commerce, and communication.
 The most popular Internet activities are
exploring the World Wide Web and
communicating with electronic mail.
 A Web browser is a PC application that
provides easy access to the World Wide
Web.
 Search engines serve as indices for the
Web, locating pages with subject matter
that matches keywords.
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 Electronic mail is the most popular Internet
application and enables almost instant
communication among Internet users; some email
systems can be accessed through Web browsers.
 The Internet is not without risks; Internet users
must be prepared to deal with unsolicited (and
often unsavory) email, computer viruses, identity
theft, and other risks.
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