COMPUTER LECTURE

Chapter 1

** Cellphones with built-in atmospheric sensors,

alerting scientist to new trends in the environment.
** Phone sensors that can monitor for flu viruses.

Apps for Good: a program that links students,

educators, and local experts to guide students in
designing and building apps to help solve problems
around them

Digital divide: the great gap in the levels of internet

access and availability of technical tools in different
regions of the world.

Verizon Innovative App Challenge

: difference in ease of access to technology

Random Hacks of Kindness

: gap between those with easy access to technology

and those with little or no access

Social networking tools: enable the gathering of

groups of people to connect and exchange ideas
TECHNOLOGY ON THE WORLD STAGE
POLITICAL ISSUES
Politicians worldwide have also begun to incorporate
social networking as part of their political strategy.
An advantage of social media is that other can
immediately connect and engage in a two-way
conversation.
Social networking tools are providing a level of
instant connection and information distribution that is
reshaping the world.
Crisis-Mapping Tool: collects information from emails, text messages, blog posts, and tweets then
maps them, instantly making the information publicly
available
-

Example: Ushahidi (means testimony): a

software tool used by the society in times of
political upheaval.

HEALTH CARE
With newer scientific visualization tools, scientists
are developing antibodies for flu viruses and even
HIV.

: prevents us from using all minds on the planet to

solve all the planets problems
Next Einstein Initiative (NEI): plan to focus
resources on the talented mathematical minds of
Africa
: has won 10 million dollars funding from Google
Project
African Institute for Mathematical Sciences
(AIMS): founded by Neil Turok to bring together the
brightest young minds of Africa with best lecturers in
the world
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Computationally intense modelling software is

helping researchers increase the pace of vaccine
production, saving lives.
Retinal prosthetics are another example of global
health issues being addressed by technology.
Microchip that can replace the function of the retina.
THE ENVIRONMENT

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Web 2.0: a new kind of internet came into being;

from just consuming content toward producing
content
: allowed users to contribute content easily and to be
easily connected to each other
Cognitive surplus: the combination of leisure time
and the tools to be creative

3-D
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MODERN THEORIES OF MOTIVATION

Autonomy: the freedom to work without

constant direction and control
Mastery: the feeling of confidence and
excitement from seeing your own skills
progress
Purpose: the understanding that you are
working for something larger than yourself

Crowdfunding: asking for small donations from a

large number of people, using the internet

: Kickstarter is an example of crowdfunding. People

post their ideas for community projects and as for
fund directly

My Automated Conversation Coach: computer

system that generates an on-screen person that can
help improve your interpersonal skills

QR (quick response) codes: let any piece of print

host a link to online information and video content

Affective computing: developing systems that can

recognize and stimulate human emotions

Crowdsourcing: checking in with the voice of the

crowd

Chapter 2

Collaborative consumption: we are joining together

as a group to use a specific product more efficiently

Computer: a data processing device that performs

four major functions:
1.

SAVVY COMPUTER CONSUMER AND USER

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Avoiding hackers and viruses

Protecting your privacy
Understanding the real risks
Using the web wisely
Avoiding online annoyances
Being able to maintain, upgrade, and
troubleshoot your computer

Being computer literate means knowing which

technologies are on the horizon and how to integrate
them into your own life.
Information Technology: a field of study focused on
the management and processing of information and
the automatic retrieval of information.
: Computers, telecommunications, software
deployment
Data Mining: process of searching huge amounts of
data with the hope of finding a pattern
Computer forensics: analyzes computer systems
with specific techniques to gather potential legal
evidences
** Implanting chips in humans
** VeriMed: personal identification chip
Khan Academy: free technology used for education
Augmented Reality: combines our normal sense of
the world around us with an additional layer of digital
information
: extra information can be displayed on a separate
device
: example- Google glass
** Digital medication

2.
3.
4.

Input: gathers data, or allows users to enter

data
Process: manipulates, calculates, or
organizes that data into information
Output: displays data and information in a
form suitable for the user
Storage: saves data and information for
later use

DATA INFORMATION
Data: representation of a fact, a figure or an idea
Information: data has been organized or presented in
a meaningful fashion
Processing: manipulating, organizing, or calculating
data into information
Binary language: language of the computer used in
processing data into information which consist of two
digits, 0 and 1.
Each 0 and 1 is a binary digit or BIT.
Eight bit is equal to ONE BYTE.
: also used to represent the quantity of data and
information that computer inputs and outputs
1 KB = 1,024 bytes
1 MB = 1,048, 576 bytes
1 GB = 1, 073, 741, 824 bytes
1 TB = 1, 099, 511, 627, 776 bytes
1 PB = 1, 125, 899, 906, 842, 624 bytes
1 EB = 1, 152, 921, 504, 606, 846, 976 bytes
1 ZB = 1, 180, 591, 620, 717, 411, 303, 424 bytes
Hardware: any part of the computer you can
physically touch

Software: set of computer programs that enables the

hardware to perform different tasks
-

Application software: set of programs you

use on a computer to help you carry out
tasks
System software: set of programs that
enables your computers hardware devices
and application software to work together
o Operating system: program that
controls how your computer system
functions

TYPES OF COMPUTERS
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.
7.
8.

Laptop or notebook computer: portable

computer with devices integrated into a
single compact case
Netbook: small, lightweight laptop
computer that is 7-10 inches wide and has
longer battery life than laptop. Portability >
performance
Ultrabook: full-featured but lightweight
laptop computer designed to compete with
MacBook air
Tablet: similar to a laptop; functions as a
conventional laptop and as a tablet computer
using its touchscreen
Desktop computer: intended to use in a
single location; consists of a system unit
which houses the main components of the
computer
a. Peripheral device: a monitor or
keyboard, that connects to the
computer
Mainframe: large, expensive computer that
supports many users simultaneously
Supercomputer: can perform complex
calculations extremely rapidly
Embedded computer: specially designed
computer chip that resides in another device

Mouse: used to enter user responses and commands

** Optical mouse: uses an internal sensor or laser to
detect the mouses movement
** Wireless mouse: Bluetooth or receiver that plugs
into a USB port
** Touch pad (or track pad): integrated pointing
device found in the basement of a laptop that is
touch-sensitive
Input devices for games: joysticks, game pads and
steering wheels
Image input: camera, webcam, cellphones, scanner
Sound input: microphone or mic
TYPES OF MICROPHONES
1.
2.
3.
4.

OUTPUT DEVICES
-

Let you enter data (text, images, sound,

videos) and instructions into your computer

Keyboard: used to enter typed data and commands

** touch screens
** QWERTY keyboard and DVORAK keyboard
** Bluetooth technology

Let you send processed data out of your

computer in the form of text, pictures,
sounds, or videos.

Monitors: also referred to as display screens which

displays sounds, videos and pictures
TYPES OF MONITORS
1.
2.

INPUT DEVICES
-

Close talk: attached to a headset

Omnidirectional: picks up sounds equally
well from all directions
Unidirectional: picks up sounds from only
one direction
Clip-on (Lavalier): clips to clothing,
available as wireless

3.

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD): light and

energy efficient
Light-Emitting Diode (LED): more energy
efficient and have better color accuracy and
thinner panels
Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED):
use organic compounds that produce light
when exposed to an electric current; do not
require backlight to function

Monitor screens are grids made up of millions of tiny

dots called PIXELS (YELLOW, RED, BLUE AND
GREEN SUBPIXELS)
FACTORS TO CONSIDER FOR A MONITOR

1.
2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Aspect ratio: width-to-height proportion of

a screen (4:3 or 16:9)
Screen resolution: number of pixels
displayed on a screen (highest resolution
monitor is capable of displaying)
Contrast ratio: difference in light intensity
between brightest white and darkest black a
monitor can produce (400:1 or 1,000:1)
Viewing angle: distance in degrees from
which you can move to the side of (or above
or below) a monitor before the image
degrades (150 degrees or more)
Brightness: greatest amount of light
showing when the monitor is displaying
pure white (candelas per square meter, 300
cd/m2 or more)
Response time: time it takes for a pixel to
change color (lowest possible)

** Projector: lets you project images or videos for a

large number of people
Printers
TWO PRIMARY CATEGORIES: inkjet and laser

Expansion cards: (or adapter cards), are circuit

boards that provide additional functionality.
** Sound card: for microphone, earphones
** Video card: for monitor
** Network interface card: for network and internet
Memory
Random Access Memory (RAM): A temporary or
volatile storage location
Read-Only Memory (ROM): Stores start-up
instructions; non-volatile storage
Processing
Central Processing Unit (CPU): BRAINS
-

Controls all the functions performed by the

computers other components and processes
all commands
Unit of processor speed: Hertz
Number of cores also determines the
performance of the CPU: single, dual, quad

Non-impact printer: sprays ink or uses laser beams

Hard Drives

Impact printer: has tiny hammer-like keys that

strike the paper through an inked ribbon

Hard Disk Drive (HDD): computers primary device

for permanent storage of software and documents

Laser printer: uses laser beams and static electricity

to deliver tone; print faster than inkjet

** Internal and external hard drives

All-in-one printer: printer, scanner, copier and fax

Plotter: for oversize pictures
Thermal printer: uses melted wax-based ink onto
ordinary paper; for receipts and tickets
Sound output: speakers
** surround-sound speaker: system of speakers and
audio processing that envelops the listener in a 360degree field of sound

** Solid-state drive (SDD): have no moving parts

Permanent storage devices are located in the desktop
in a space called drive bay.
** internal and external drive bay
Cloud storage: a service on the internet meant for
keeping files (example: Dropbox, Google drive)
Flash drive: uses solid-state flash memory, storing
information on an internal memory chip
Flash memory card: SD card

Motherboard: skull, main circuit board that

contains the central electronic components of the
computer

OPTICAL STORAGE

** CPU, memory, and expansion cards

** Digital Video Discs

** Compact discs

** Blu-ray Discs

PORT: a place through which a peripheral device

attaches to the computer so that data can be
exchanged between it and the operating system

Chapter 3

Thunderbolt ports: allow you to connect up to six

different peripherals to your computer

Internet was established to establish a secure form

of communications and create a means by which
all computers can communicate

Universal Serial Bus (USB) port: port type

commonly used to connect input and output devices
FireWire 800: provides a fast transfer rate of 800
Mbps
Connectivity port: example is an Ethernet port
which allows you to connect to the internet and other
networks
High-definition multimedia interface (HDMI)
ports: compact audio-video interface that allows both
HD video and uncompressed audio to be carried on
one cable
** Video graphics array port
** Digital Video Interface port
** Expansion hub: device connected to one port to
provide additional ports
Power supply: which is housed inside the system
unit
COLD BOOT: from completely turned off state
WARM BOOT: restarting the system while its
powered on
Ergonomics: the science that deals with the design
and location of machines and furniture so that the
people using them arent subjected to an
uncomfortable or unsafe experience
GUIDELINES:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Position your monitor correctly

Purchase an adjustable chair
Assume a proper position while typing
Take breaks
Ensure the lighting is adequate

ALWAYS CONSIDER THE ERGONOMICS IN

YOUR ENVIRONMENT.

Internet: the largest computer network in the world

World Wide Web: only a subset of internet,

dedicated to broadcasting HTML pages; means by
which we access information over the internet
-

Common communications protocols that

enable computers to talk to each other and
display information in compatible formats
Special links that enable users to navigate
from one place to another on the web

Tim Berners-Lee: developed a protocol for web

Robert Caillau and Berners-Lee: developed the
basic architecture of the web and created the first web
browser
Web browser: lets you display and interact with text
and another media on the web
Internet acts in two ways:
Client: a computer that asks for data
Server: a computer that receives the request and
returns the data to the client
** Client/server network
Internet backbones: the transmission lines with the
fastest speeds
Internet Protocol address: a set of four group
numbers separated by periods
: means by which computers connected to the internet
identify each other
: unique identification number
Electronic mail (e-mail): most widely used form for
communication in the internet
: a written message sent or received over the internet
: Asynchronous, does not need to be communicating
at the same time
: EMAILS ARE NOT REALLY PRIVATE

Social networking: refers to using the web to

communicate and share information among your
friends and others
DOS AND DONTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING
1.
2.
3.
4.

Keep your personal information personal

Know who your friends are, and know who
can see the information you post
Do not post information such as your
favorite teacher or your first pets name
Use caution when posting images, and know
what images others are posting of you

TIPS ON E-MAIL ETIQUETTE

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Be concise and to the point

Use the spell-checker and proofread your email before sending it
Avoid using abbreviations (LOL, ROFL)
Include meaningful subject line to help
recipients prioritize and organize e-mails
Add a signature line that includes your
contact information
Include only those people on the e-mail who
truly need to receive it

TWO TYPES OF E-MAIL SYSTEM

1.

2.

Web-based e-mail: managed with your web

browser and allows you to access your email from the web
E-mail client: requires a program to be
installed in a computer

The primary difference between the two is ACCESS.

Instant Messaging: programs that let you
communicate in real time over the internet
Wiki: a web application that allows users to add,
remove, or edit its content
WIKIPEDIA IS NOT A GOOD SOURCE FOR
RESEARCH PAPERS
Blog (weblog): a personal log or journal posted on
the web
Video log (vlog): a blog that uses video as the
primary content

Splogs (spam blogs): are artificially created blog

sites filled with fake articles or stolen text.
Podcast: a form of digital media comprised of a
series of audio or video files that are distributed over
the internet
: they use Really Simple Syndication (RSS)- a
format that sends the latest content of the podcast
series automatically to an aggregator
Aggregator: locates all the RSS series to which
youve subscribed and automatically downloads it on
your device (ex: iTunes)
Webcast: usually live broadcast of audio or video
content over the internet
Multimedia: anything that involves one or more
forms of media in addition to text

Graphics such as drawing, charts, and

photos
Audio files
Video files

Streaming media: multimedia that is continuously

fed to your browser so you avoid having to wait for
the entire file to download
Plug-in or player: a special software component that
adds a specific feature to an existing software
program
: example- Adobe flash and HTML5
Electronic commerce: process of conducting
business online
1.
2.

3.

Business-to-consumer: transactions take

place between businesses and consumers
Business-to-business: transactions occur
when businesses buy and sell goods and
services to other businesses
Consumer-to-consumer: transactions occur
when consumers sell to each other through
sites such as eBay

Social commerce: a subset of e-commerce that uses

social networks to assist in marketing and purchasing
products