Chapter 1 Becoming Skilled at Information Technology Terms of Endearment Defining Information Technology Fluency with Information Technology Third Edition Learning the language of IT Acronyms WYSIWIG by Lawrence Snyder Jargon Clicking around Metaphors Everyday terms like window have special meanings in IT 1 2 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley Why Know Just the Right Word Why Know Just the Right Word cont d There are many new terms in IT Terminology is basic to learning a new subject Words represent ideas and concepts Terms are invented for ideas concepts and devices that never existed before Precision in word use represents precision in understanding idea Educated people use the right word at the right term Communicating with others To be able to ask questions and receive help By email by telephone through online help facility le mot juste the right word 1 3 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 3 Where s the Start Button 1 4 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 4 Two Basic Organizations Most computers are left on all the time Component Desktop PC s with separate components Screen savers prevent burn in on screen Computer is reactivated by moving or clicking mouse or pressing a key Why bother to learn where the Start Button is Monitor Hard Drive Speakers Etc Allows user to mix and match Power switch on box with disk drives Sometimes computers are off Need to power cycle 1 5 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 2 1 5 1 6 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 6 Two Basic Organizations cont d The Monitor Monolithic Interactive video screen Bit mapped iMac or laptop has all devices bundled together Display information stored in computer memory Simple and convenient Power switch on chassis or keyboard 1 7 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 7 The Monitor cont d 1 8 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 8 Cables Connect components to computer and to power source Cables need to be plugged in correctly CRT s and LCD s Screen displays images from its memory Sockets and plugs labeled with icons and color coded Virtual Reality 1 9 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 9 Colors 1 10 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley Pixels RGB Grid of small units called pixels for picture elements Primary colors of light red green blue Colors on screen created by combining different amounts of primary colors Size of the dot on letter i Computer draws each pixel in the designated color for the image or figure CMYK The more pixels in each row and column the smoother and crisper the image high resolution Primary printer colors cyan magenta yellow key black 1 11 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 11 1 12 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 12 A Virtual Button A Virtual Button Color the screen s pixels to make a believable 3 D looking button Button Motion Reverse black and white colors Move position down and to right Medium gray background Rectangle with top and left sides white bottom and right sides black 1 13 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 13 1 14 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 14 Pressing a Virtual Button Moving the mouse pointer Mouse pointer is drawn on screen like any image When mouse moves computer re draws in correct direction Fast refresh rate 30 times per second creates illusion of motion Computer keeps track of which pixel is at the point of the arrow 1 15 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 15 1 16 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 16 Coordinating the Button and the Mouse When mouse is clicked computer redraws button that mouse is hovering over Computer keeps a list of every button drawn on screen Positions of upper left and lower right corners When button is re drawn in clicked position software reacts by performing appropriate action event driven 1 17 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 17 1 18 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 18 Motherboard Motherboard cont d Printed circuit board inside processor box Smaller circuit boards called daughter boards or cards plug into motherboard for added functionality Contains most of the circuitry of PC system Motherboard contains the microprocessor chip or central processing unit CPU and the memory 1 19 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 19 1 20 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley Microprocessor Memory Primary Main Memory Smart part of system Performs actual computing Micro was adopted around 1980 to distinguish single chip circuitry from larger mainframes of the day Term is archaic It is more correct to say processor or CPU Multi Cores Where program and data are located while program runs RAM Random Access Memory volatile PC Contains millions billions of bytes of RAM Megabytes MB Gigabytes GB What Random Access means Any item can be retrieved directly Unlike sequential access ex tapes 1 21 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 20 1 21 1 22 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 22 Hard Disk Secondary Memory High Capacity persistent peripheral storage device Stores programs and data not in immediate use by computer Made from magnetized iron compound Information remains whether PC is on or off Called permanent or persistent storage non volatile 1 23 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 23 1 24 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc Publishing as Pearson Addison Wesley 1 24 Hard Disk cont d Saving from RAM to Hard Disk Small stack of bright metal washers with arm that sweeps across Saving moves information from RAM to hard disk Prudent user saves frequently RAM memory is volatile Information is lost when power turns off If computer fails or power cycles only data on disk will survive 1 25 Copyright 2008 Pearson Education Inc