Chapter 1 Digital Technologies: Exploring a Wealth of Possibilities



Download 31.35 Kb.
Date28.01.2017
Size31.35 Kb.
#9269
Chapter 1
Digital Technologies: Exploring a Wealth of Possibilities


Chapter Outline

Key Terms

Study Questions

1.1 Just What Is a Computer?

computer

analog computer

digital computer


What is the difference between an analog and a digital computer?

What is an example of an analog computer?

What is an example of a digital computer?


1.2 Computers in All Shapes and Sizes




What are the two broad groups of computers?

What companies manufacture each of the groups?



Supercomputer

supercomputer

petaflop


computer cluster

render farm



How are supercomputers used?

What do flops measure?

What industries use computer clusters and render farms?


Desktop

desktop computer

What peripherals are usually included in a desktop computer setup?

Laptop

laptop

What differentiates a laptop from a desktop?

How are laptops used today?



Tablet PC

Tablet PC

About how much does a Tablet PC weigh?

How are Tablet PCs used?

What type of input devices are used in a Tablet PC?


Netbook

netbook

What is the typical screen size and weight of a netbook?

Netbooks were originally designed for what purposes?

What operating systems are used with netbooks? How will this change in the near future?


Spotlight on the Future Podcast: Will Computers Help Us Live Forever?




What does it mean that advances in computing power progress exponentially?

What is the technological singularity discussed in the podcast?

How does Kurzweil posit that technology and biology will merge to extend human longevity?


The Convergence of Computing Devices

technological convergence

convergence device



What is meant by technological convergence?

What are some examples of convergence devices?



Take the Next Step: Activity 1.2.1




What makes up a computer system?

1.3 Who Is Using Computers and How?




How are computers used in businesses?

How are they used in homes?



Computers Are Everywhere

ubiquitous computing

What is an example of ubiquitous computing?

What is another term for ubiquitous computing?



Finding a Career in Computing

computer engineering (CE)

computer science (CS)

information systems (IS)

information technology (IT)

software engineering (SE)


What areas of computing are encompassed by the field of computer engineering?

What types of work might people working in computer science do?

What types of problems does an information systems worker tackle?

How is information technology different from information systems?

What do software engineers do?


Take the Next Step: Activity 1.3.1

webmaster

Internet law

web designer


What computer jobs has the Web produced?

1.4 What Is Information Technology?




Why are IT departments in an organization important?

What do they do?



Differentiating Between Data and Information

data

information



What is the difference between data and information?

The Information Processing Cycle

information processing cycle

What are the four parts of the information processing cycle?

Where does it end?



Input

binary system

bit


byte

input


How is the binary system different from the decimal system?

What is the relationship between bits and bytes?

How are data entered into a computer?

What are the types of input devices that may be used?



Processing

central processing unit (CPU)

processing

microprocessor

computer memory

random access memory (RAM)

cache memory



What does the CPU do?

What are microprocessors? What do they do? What are they made of?

How is RAM used? How long are data stored in RAM?

How does cache memory work?



Output

output

resolution

pixel


How might you receive output from your computing device?

How does resolution relate to pixels?



Storage

storage

file


What types of permanent storage are used in today's computers?

How has permanent storage changed through the years?

What is the basic storage unit? What might be contained in it?

How is storage capacity measured?



Take the Next Step: Activity 1.4.1

DRAM

SDRAM


SDRAM

What are the various types of RAM?

Take the Next Step: Activity 1.4.2

machine cycle

instruction register



What is the machine cycle?



Our Digital World

© Paradigm Publishing, Inc. Page of



Download 31.35 Kb.

Share with your friends:




The database is protected by copyright ©ininet.org 2024
send message

    Main page