Gulyás-Guth - Information Technology English (2009, 62 oldal)

7/27/2019 Gulys-Guth - Information Technology English (2009, 62 oldal)

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I n f o r m a t i o n T e c h n o l o g yI n f o r m a t i o n T e c h n o l o g yI n f o r m a t i o n T e c h n o l o g yI n f o r m a t i o n T e c h n o l o g y

T e x t b o o kT e x t b o o kT e x t b o o kT e x t b o o k

for Elementary to Upper-Intermediate learners of English

Edited by

Barbara Gulys and Gabriella Guth

2009

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Information Technology Textbook - 1 - Contents

Contents

1 Introduction ............................................................... 31.1 Everyday Uses of Computers ........................................................................... 3

1.2 Computers in the Home ....................................................................................42 Parts of the Computer ................................................ 6

2.1 Introductory Exercise Inside the Computer................................................... 6

2.2 The Motherboard .............................................................................................. 6

2.2.1 An Introductory Overview........................................................................ 6

2.2.2 Evolution of the Motherboard................................................................... 7

2.3 Processors .........................................................................................................9

2.3.1 CPU Architecture......................................................................................9

2.3.2 Basic Structure........................................................................................ 10

2.4 Hard disks The hard disk operation ................................................................11

2.5 Memory........................................................................................................... 13

3 Input Devices ........................................................... 143.1 Mouse.............................................................................................................. 14

3.2 Tracker Ball .................................................................................................... 14

3.3 Standard Keyboard ......................................................................................... 15

3.4 Digital Camera................................................................................................ 15

3.5 Scanner............................................................................................................ 16

3.6 Joystick ...........................................................................................................16

3.7 Microphone.....................................................................................................16

4 Output Devices ........................................................ 174.1 Monitors.......................................................................................................... 17

4.2 Monitor Features............................................................................................. 17

4.3 Printers ............................................................................................................18

4.3.1 Inkjet Printers.......................................................................................... 19

4.3.2 Laser Printers .......................................................................................... 19

4.3.3 Dot-matrix printer ................................................................................... 20

4.3.4 Exercise................................................................................................... 20

4.3.5 Thermal printers...................................................................................... 21

4.3.6 Epson ink cartridge controversy ............................................................. 21

4.4 Exercise...........................................................................................................22

4.5 Speakers..........................................................................................................22

5 Operating Systems................................................... 235.1 Microsoft Windows ........................................................................................ 23

5.2 Mac OS X ....................................................................................................... 24

5.3 Linux and Other UNIX-based......................................................................... 25

6 Word Processing...................................................... 276.1 The Beginning................................................................................................. 27

6.2 What is W/P? .................................................................................................. 28

6.3 Education ........................................................................................................ 29

6.4 Home...............................................................................................................29

6.5 The Standard, Formatting and Drawing Toolbars ..........................................29

6.5.1 The Standard toolbar............................................................................... 296.5.2 The Formatting toolbar ........................................................................... 31

6.5.3 The Drawing toolbar............................................................................... 32

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Information Technology Textbook - 2 - Contents

6.6 Exercises..........................................................................................................33

7 Spreadsheets and Databases ...................................367.1 Parts of the Excel 2007 Screen....................................................................... 36

7.2 Calculating with Formulas ..............................................................................37

7.3 Parts of a Database ..........................................................................................38

7.4 Spreadsheets vs Databases ..............................................................................39

8 Networking...............................................................41 8.1 Network Basics ...............................................................................................41

8.2 Topologies.......................................................................................................41

9 Communications.......................................................43 9.1 The Mobile Phone ...........................................................................................44

9.1.1 History:....................................................................................................45

9.1.2 3 generations of mobile phones:..............................................................45

9.1.3 SMS / MMS: ...........................................................................................47

9.2 Instant Messaging Programs ...........................................................................47

9.2.1 Skype.......................................................................................................479.2.2 MSN messenger ......................................................................................48

10 The Internet..............................................................4910.1 The History of the Internet ..............................................................................49

10.2 Google 'Must Be Stopped'...............................................................................50

11 Viruses .....................................................................5211.1 How Computer Viruses Work.........................................................................52

11.2 Other Threats...................................................................................................52

11.3 Protection against viruses: Firewalls...............................................................53

12 Programming............................................................54 12.1 Programs..........................................................................................................54

12.2 Programming languages..................................................................................54

12.3 C++..................................................................................................................55

13 Future Trends...........................................................5613.1 Next hands-free input device: your tongue .....................................................56

13.2 Virtual Reality Devices ...................................................................................56

13.2.1 Head-mounted display.............................................................................56

13.2.2 Datagloves...............................................................................................57

13.2.3 Wands......................................................................................................57

13.2.4 Other Input Devices ................................................................................58

14 Writing Your CV ........................................................5914.1 Before you start ...............................................................................................59

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Information Technology Textbook - 3 - 1 Introduction

1111 IntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroduction

1.11.11.11.1 Everyday Uses of ComputersEveryday Uses of ComputersEveryday Uses of ComputersEveryday Uses of ComputersTick the computer uses mentioned in the following article.home ___

hospital ___

engineering ___

shopping ___

art ___

television advertising ___

banking ___

libraries ___

film-making ___

schools ___

Computers are part of our everyday lives. They have an effect on almost everything youdo. When you buy groceries at a supermarket, a computer is used with laser and

barcode technology to scan the price of each item and present a total. Barcoding items(clothes, food and books) require a computer to generate the barcode labels andmaintain the inventory. Most television advertisements and many films use graphicsproduced by a computer. In hospitals, bedside terminals connected to the hospital'smain computer allow doctors to type in orders for blood tests and to scheduleoperations. Banks use computers to look after their customers' money. In libraries andbookshops, computers can help you to find the book you want as quickly as possible.

Language Work: ARTICLES

a/an/the

a computer technology moneycapacity a supermarket an IT manager

Write Uncountable (UC)/ Countable (C ) next to the words you see.capacity ___

data ___

device ___

disk ___

drive ___

memory ___

monitor ___

mouse ___

software ___

speed ___

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Fill in the gaps with a/an or the where necessary.The Walsh family have _____ PC at home. Their son uses _____ computer to help with_____ homework and to play _____ PC games. Their student daughter uses _____computer for projects and for _____ email. All _____ family use it to get _____ information

from _____ Internet.

1.21.21.21.2 CompCompCompComputers in the Homeuters in the Homeuters in the Homeuters in the HomeComputers and the opportunities offered by their useThe greatest advantage in using a computer is its speed in working out repetitivecalculations. For instance, lets say that you wish to work out your weekly bankbalance. You could list all your expenditure in one column in a page, and list all yourincome in another column. You could then add up both columns and subtract the totalexpenditure from your total income and (hopefully) the amount left is what you haveleft to spend or save.

The trouble with doing this on a piece of paper is that if you suddenly remember thatyou have omitted an item in either list, then you will have to re-total this column andthen re-do the subtraction of one column from the other. This is a clear case whereusing a computer makes your calculations easier and quicker.

Computer gamesThe single biggest use of PCs within the home(along with accessing the Internet) is for playinggames. The capabilities of the PC have beengreatly enhanced over the years and today's

games bear very little resemblance to the early"Space Invader" and "Ping Pong" type games. Infact, many PC manufactures configure PCs withgames in mind. Apart from PCs, there are gamesspecific computers such as "Dreamcast,Nintendo 64" and "PlayStation". These aregames consoles rather than general-purposecomputers.

Home workingThe rise of the Internet and email has beenaccompanied with a rise in what is called home

working". If you consider the cost of office space, lighting, heating etc compared withthe small initial cost of setting up part of the workforce at home with a computer andtelecom equipment, and then companies can make substantial cost savings. This alsohas the benefit that people working at home can schedule work around othercommitments, including looking after a family. Some research has shown that peopleworking at home miss the "office gossip", however in a properly managed environment,this can be overcome. Additionally distance from the centre of operations becomesunimportant, so that people can physically be located in areas where more traditionalindustry is in decline.

Home BankingTraditionally banks needed branches near to population centres. However, with therise of the Internet, some banks are increasingly doing away with the branch system

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and are moving more and more services on-line. In extreme cases, banks are setting upnew companies on the Internet that will only deal on-line. While there are security andsocial implications to this change in direction there are tremendous costs savingsavailable to the banking organizations embracing the capabilities offered by theInternet.

Connecting to the WebMost PCs are sold now as internet ready PCs. Often they have what is called aninternal modem, which means that you simply plug a phone line into the back of yourPC, install some software and then you are up and running, connected to the Internet!Once connected to the Net you can send and receive email, surf for information andeven conduct your personal banking via the Web.

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Information Technology Textbook - 6 - 2 Parts of the Computer

2222 Parts of the ComputerParts of the ComputerParts of the ComputerParts of the Computer2.12.12.12.1 Introductory ExerciseIntroductory ExerciseIntroductory ExerciseIntroductory Exercise Inside the ComputerInside the ComputerInside the ComputerInside the ComputerHow well do you know your computer? Label the picture with the followingwords:CPU, CD-ROM or DVD drive, extra case fan, fan, floppy drive, hard drive, heat sink, modem,motherboard, power cords, power supply, ribbon cable, sound card, video card, zip drive

2.22.22.22.2 TheTheTheThe MotherboardMotherboardMotherboardMotherboard2.2.12.2.12.2.12.2.1 AAAAn Introductory On Introductory On Introductory On Introductory OverviewverviewverviewverviewThe motherboard is the main circuit board inside the PC. It holds the CPU andmemory, provides expansion slots for peripherals, and, whether directly or indirectly,connects to every part of the PC.

The essential motherboard make-up includes the chipset (known as the "glue logic"),some code in ROM and the various wired interconnections between the componentsknow as buses. The chipset is fundamental, and controls how the motherboardinteracts with everything else in the system. A good chipset can be more importantthan the power of CPU or the amount of RAM. The ROM code includes the BIOS,which has user-changeable options for how the motherboard operates with integral

and connected devices. The buses are the electrical wires that connect everythingtogether.

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Motherboard designs use many different buses to link their various components. Forinstance, wide, high-speed buses are difficult and expensive to produce. The signalstravel at such a rate that even distances of just a few centimetres cause timingproblems, while the metal tracks on the circuit board act as miniature radio antennae,transmitting electromagnetic noise that introduces interference with signals elsewhere

in the system. For these reasons, design engineers try to keep the fastest buses confinedto the smallest area of the motherboard and use slower, more robust buses for otherparts.

2.2.22.2.22.2.22.2.2 Evolution of theEvolution of theEvolution of theEvolution of the MMMMotherboarotherboarotherboarotherboarddddThe original PC motherboard had a minimum of integrated devices, just ports for akeyboard and a cassette deck (for storage). Everything else, including a display adapterand floppy or hard disk controllers, were add-in components, connected via expansionslots.

Over time, more devices were integrated into the motherboard. It was a slow trendinitially though, as I/O ports and disk controllers were often mounted on expansioncards even up to 1995. Other components - typically graphics, networking, SCSI andsound - usually remained separate. Many manufacturers have experimented withdifferent levels of integration, building in some or even all of these components.However, there are drawbacks. It's harder to upgrade the specification if integratedcomponents can't be removed, and at first highly integrated motherboards oftenrequired non-standard cases. Furthermore, replacing a single faulty component maymean buying an entire new motherboard.

Consequently, those parts of the system whose specification changes fastest,particularly RAM and CPU, tend to remain in sockets or slots for easy replacement.Similarly, parts that not all users need, such as SCSI, are usually left out of the base

specification to keep costs down. However, it's now common for sound, video and/ornetwork support to be included in motherboards, particularly as technologyminiaturization has allowed greater space within the motherboard form factor andFlash BIOS and EPROM has allowed greater support for updated technologies.

The basic changes in motherboard form factors over the years are covered later in thissection - the diagrams below provide a detailed look at the various components on twomotherboards. The first is a Baby AT design, sporting the Socket 7 processor connector,circa 1995. The second is an ATX design, with a Pentium II Slot 1 type processorconnector, typical of motherboards on the market in late 1998.

Motherboard development consists largely of isolating performance-critical

components from slower ones. As higher speed devices become available, they arelinked by faster buses - and the lower-speed buses are relegated to supporting roles.There are cost benefits to putting peripherals designed as integrated chips directly ontothe motherboard, but the biggest downside is the restriction of future upgrade options.

However, the flexibility of the open IBM architecture, the basis of the modern PCmotherboard allowing the attachment of peripherals and opening the door to themodern PC, allows for many options. Whether the PC buyer opts for low costintegration or high powered flexibility, this is the reason that PC motherboards are sowidely varied and yet so integrally compatible with all PC software.

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2.32.32.32.3 ProcessorsProcessorsProcessorsProcessors2.3.12.3.12.3.12.3.1 CPU ArchitectureCPU ArchitectureCPU ArchitectureCPU ArchitectureThe processor (really a short form for microprocessor and also often called the CPU orcentral processing unit) is the central component of the PC. This vital component is insome way responsible for every single thing the PC does. It determines, at least in part,which operating systems can be used, which software packages the PC can run, howmuch energy the PC uses, and how stable the system will be, among other things. Theprocessor is also a major determinant of overall system cost: the newer and morepowerful the processor, the more expensive the machine will be.

When the Hungarian born John von Neumann, firstsuggested storing a sequence of instructions - that's to say, aprogram - in the same memory as the data, it was a trulyinnovative idea. That was in his "First Draft of a Report onthe EDVAC", written in 1945. The report organised the

computer system into four main parts: the CentralArithmetical unit, the Central Control unit, the Memory,and the Input/Output devices. More than half a centurylater, nearly all processors had a "von Neumann"architecture.

For some years two families of microprocessor dominatedthe PC industry - Intel's Pentium and the

Apple/IBM/Motorola alliance's PowerPC - each CPU being a prime example of thecompeting CPU architectures of the time, CISC and RISC.

CISC (complex instruction set computer) is the traditional architecture of a computer,

in which the CPU uses microcode to execute very comprehensive instruction set. Thesemay be variable in length and use all addressing modes, requiring complex circuitry todecode them.

For a number of years, the tendency among computer manufacturers was to buildincreasingly complex CPUs that had ever-larger sets of instructions. In 1974, JohnCocke of IBM Research decided to try an approach that dramatically reduced thenumber of instructions a chip performed. By the mid-1980s this had led to a number ofcomputer manufacturers reversing the trend by building CPUs capable of executingonly a very limited set of instructions.

RISC (reduced instruction set computer) CPUs keep instruction size constant, ban the

indirect addressing mode and retain only those instructions that can be overlapped andmade to execute in one machine cycle or less. One advantage of RISC CPUs is that theycan execute their instructions very fast because the instructions are so simple. Another,perhaps more important advantage, is that RISC chips require fewer transistors, whichmakes them cheaper to design and produce.

There is still considerable controversy among experts about the ultimate value of RISCarchitectures. Its proponents argue that RISC machines are both cheaper and faster,and are therefore the machines of the future. Sceptics note that by making the hardwaresimpler, RISC architectures put a greater burden on the software - RISC compilershaving to generate software routines to perform the complex instructions that areperformed in hardware by CISC computers. They argue that this is not worth thetrouble because conventional microprocessors are becoming increasingly fast and cheapanyway.

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To some extent, the argument is becoming moot because CISC and RISCimplementations are becoming more and more alike. Many of today's RISC chipssupport as many instructions as yesterday's CISC chips and, conversely, today's CISCchips use many techniques formerly associated with RISC chips. Even the CISCchampion, Intel, used RISC techniques in its 486 chip and has done so increasingly inits Pentium family of processors.

2.3.22.3.22.3.22.3.2 Basic StructureBasic StructureBasic StructureBasic StructureA processor's major functional components are:Core: The heart of a modern is the execution unit. The Pentium has two parallel integerpipelines enabling it to read, interpret, execute and despatch two instructionssimultaneously.

Branch Predictor: The branch prediction unit tries to guess which sequence will beexecuted each time the program contains a conditional jump, so that the Prefetch andDecode Unit can get the instructions ready in advance.

Floating Point Unit: The third execution unit in a Pentium, where non-integercalculations are performed.

Level 1 Cache: The Pentium has two on-chip caches of 8KB each, one for code and onefor data, which are far quicker than the larger external secondary cache.

Bus Interface: This brings a mixture of code and data into the CPU, separates the twoready for use, and then recombines them and sends them back out.

All the elements of the processor stay in step by use of a "clock" which dictates howfast it operates. The very first microprocessor had a 100 KHz clock, whereas thePentium Pro uses a 200MHz clock, which is to say it "ticks" 200 million times persecond. As the clock "ticks", various things happen. The Program Counter (PC) is an

internal memory location which contains the address of the next instruction to beexecuted. When the time comes for it to be executed, the Control Unit transfers theinstruction from memory into its Instruction Register (IR).

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At the same time, the PC is incremented so that it points to the next instruction insequence; now the processor executes the instruction in the IR. Some instructions arehandled by the Control Unit itself, so if the instruction says "jump to location 2749", thevalue of 2749 is written to the PC so that the processor executes that instruction next.

Many instructions involve the arithmetic and logic unit (ALU). This works in

conjunction with the General Purpose Registers - temporary storage areas which canbe loaded from memory or written to memory. A typical ALU instruction might be toadd the contents of a memory location to a general purpose register. The ALU alsoalters the bits in the Status Register (SR) as each instruction is executed; this holdsinformation on the result of the previous instruction. Typically, the SR has bits toindicate a zero result, an overflow, a carry and so forth. The control unit uses theinformation in the SR to execute conditional instructions such as "jump to address 7410if the previous instruction overflowed".

This is about all there is as far as a very basic processor is concerned and just about anyoperation can be carried out using sequences of simple instructions like those

described.

2.42.42.42.4 Hard disksHard disksHard disksHard disksThe hard disk operationThe hard disk operationThe hard disk operationThe hard disk operation

The disc platters are mounted on a single spindle that spins at a typical 10,000rpm. OnEIDE and SCSI drives the disk controller is part of the drive itself. It controls the drive'sservo-motors and translates the fluctuating voltages from the head into digital data forthe CPU.

Data is recorded onto the magnetic surface of a platter in exactly the same way as it is

on floppies or digital tapes. Essentially, the surface is treated as an array of dotpositions, with each "domain' of magnetic polarisation being set to a binary "1" or "0".The position of each array element is not identifiable in an "absolute" sense, and so ascheme of guidance marks helps the read/write head find positions on the disk. Theneed for these guidance markings explains why disks must be formatted before theycan be used.

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When it comes to accessing data already stored, the disk spins round very fast so thatany part of its circumference can be quickly identified. The drive translates a readrequest from the computer into reality. There was a time when the cylinder/head/sectorlocation that the computer worked out really was the data's location, but today's drivesare more complicated than the BIOS can handle, and they translate BIOS requests by

using their own mapping.In the past it was also the case that a disk's controller did not have sufficient processingcapacity to be able to read physically adjacent sectors quickly enough, thus requiringthat the platter complete another full revolution before the next logical sector could beread. To combat this problem, older drives would stagger the way in which sectorswere physically arranged, so as to reduce this waiting time. With an interleave factor of3, for instance, two sectors would be skipped after each sector read. An interleavefactor was expressed as a ratio, "N: 1", where "N" represented the distance between onelogical sector and the next. The speed of a modern hard disk drive with an integratedcontroller and its own data buffer renders the technique obsolete.

The rate at which hard disk capacities have increased over the years has given rise to asituation in which allocating and tracking individual data sectors on even a typicaldrive would require a huge amount of overhead, causing file handling efficiency toplummet. Therefore, to improve performance, data sectors have for some time beenallocated in groups called clusters. The number of sectors in a cluster depends on thecluster size, which in turn depends on the partition size.

When the computer wants to read data, the operating system works out where thedata is on the disk. To do this it first reads the FAT (File Allocation Table) at thebeginning of the partition. This tells the operating system in which sector on whichtrack to find the data. With this information, the head can then read the requesteddata. The disk controller controls the drive's servo-motors and translates thefluctuating voltages from the head into digital data for the CPU.

More often than not, the next set of data to be read is sequentially located on the disk.For this reason, hard drives contain between 256KB and 8MB of cache buffer in whichto store all the information in a sector or cylinder in case it's needed. This is veryeffective in speeding up both throughput and access times. A hard drive also requiresservo information, which provides a continuous update on the location of the heads.This can be stored on a separate platter, or it can be intermingled with the actual dataon all the platters. A separate servo platter is more expensive, but it speeds up accesstimes, since the data heads won't need to waste any time sending servo information.

However, the servo and data platters can get out of alignment due to changes intemperature. To prevent this, the drive constantly rechecks itself in a process calledthermal recalibration. During multimedia playback this can cause sudden pauses indata transfer, resulting in stuttered audio and dropped video frames. Where the servoinformation is stored on the data platters, thermal recalibration isn't required. For thisreason the majority of drives embed the servo information with the data.

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2.52.52.52.5 MemoryMemoryMemoryMemoryThe system memory is the place where the computer holds current programs and datathat are in use. There are various levels of computer memory, including ROM, RAM,cache, page and graphics, each with specific objectives for system operation. This

section focuses on the role of computer memory, and the technology behind it.Although memory is used in many different forms aroundmodern PC systems, it can be divided into two essentialtypes: RAM and ROM. ROM, or Read Only Memory, isrelatively small, but essential to how a computer works.ROM is always found on motherboards, but is increasinglyfound on graphics cards and some other expansion cardsand peripherals. Generally speaking, ROM does notchange. It forms the basic instruction set for operating thehardware in the system, and the data within remains intact

even when the computer is shut down. It is possible toupdate ROM, but it's only done rarely, and at need. If ROMis damaged, the computer system simply cannot function.

RAM, or Random Access Memory, is "volatile." This means that it only holds data whilepower is present. RAM changes constantly as the system operates, providing thestorage for all data required by the operating system and software. Because of thedemands made by increasingly powerful operating systems and software, system RAMrequirements have accelerated dramatically over time. For instance, at the turn of themillennium a typical computer may have only 128Mb of RAM in total, but in 2007computers commonly ship with 2Gb of RAM installed, and may include graphics cardswith their own additional 512Mb of RAM and more.

Clearly, modern computers have significantly more memory than the first PCs of theearly 1980s, and this has had an effect on development of the PC's architecture. Thetrouble is, storing and retrieving data from a large block of memory is more time-consuming than from a small block. With a large amount of memory, the difference intime between a register access and a memory access is very great, and this has resultedin extra layers of cache in the storage hierarchy.

When accessing memory, a fast processor will demand a great deal from RAM. Atworst, the CPU may have to waste clock cycles while it waits for data to be retrieved.Faster memory designs and motherboard buses can help, but since the 1990s "cachememory" has been employed as standard between the main memory and the processor.

Not only this, CPU architecture has also evolved to include ever larger internal caches.The organisation of data this way is immensely complex, and the system uses ingeniouselectronic controls to ensure that the data the processor needs next is already in cache,physically closer to the processor and ready for fast retrieval and manipulation.

Read on for a closer look at the technology behind computer memory, and howdevelopments in RAM and ROM have enabled systems to function with seeminglyexponentially increasing power.

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Information Technology Textbook - 14 - 3 Input Devices

3333 Input DevicesInput DevicesInput DevicesInput Devices3.13.13.13.1 MouseMouseMouseMouse

The mouse is used to control the movement of a pointer on the screenwhen it is moved horizontally over a flat surface.

In a mechanical mouse, a ball under the mouse rotates when it ismoved and turns two rods, one for left/right and one for up/down.

An optical mouse uses a light-emitting diode and photodiodes todetect movement relative to the underlying surface, rather than moving some of itsparts.

Buttons on the mouse let you select options from menus and drag objects around thescreen etc. Many models are now wireless.

Uses:Movement - controlling a screen pointer.

Buttons - selecting items / menus etc.

Advantages:Ideal for use with desktop computers.

Usually supplied with a computer so no additional cost.

All computer users tend to be familiar with using them.

Disadvantages:

They need a flat space close to the computer.

The mouse cannot easily be used with laptop, notebook or palmtop computers. (Theseneed a tracker ball or a touch sensitive pad called a touch pad).

3.23.23.23.2 TrackerTrackerTrackerTracker BBBBallallallallA tracker ball is used in the same way as a mouse but it is useful wheredesk space is limited.

It is like an upside down mouse because the user rotates the ball and themain body part stays still. It has buttons like a standard mouse.

Advantages:Ideal for use where flat space close to the computer is limited.

Can be useful with laptops as they can be built into the computer keyboard or clippedon.

Disadvantages:Not supplied as standard so an additional cost and users have to learn how to use them.

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3.33.33.33.3 Standard KeyboardStandard KeyboardStandard KeyboardStandard KeyboardThe standard QWERTY keyboard is the commonest way toenter text and numerical data into a computer.

Each individual key is a switch, which when pressed, sends a

digital code to the computer.For example, pressing the 'A' key produces the binary code

01100001 representing the lower case letter 'a'. Holding down the shift key at the sametime produces the binary code 01000001 representing the upper case letter 'A'.

Advantages:Reliable for data input of text and numbers.

Usually supplied with a computer so no additional cost.

Specialised keyboards are available.

Disadvantages:Users may be slow or not very accurate typists.

Slow for accessing menus etc. and difficult to use if you want to move objects aroundthe screen.

Difficult for people unable to use keyboards through paralysis or muscular disorder.

3.43.43.43.4 Digital CDigital CDigital CDigital CameraameraameraameraThese are used to take photographs like a normal camera but producedigital images instead of using film.

The light passing through the lens is digitised by special lightsensitive sensors. The image is stored on memory chips in the cameraand can then be transferred to a computer.

The resolution of such cameras is increasing rapidly and professional models havebecome standard in photo-journalism. Images are usually compressed as jpeg's to savememory.

Generally, the cameras have removable memory cards to increase the camera's storagecapacity. Images can be transferred to a computer by cables or memory card readers.

Advantages:

No film is needed and there are no film developing costs.

Unwanted images can be deleted straight away.

Images are already digital and can easily be transferred to a computer and edited ortransferred over the Internet.

Special image editing software can allow a huge range of adjustments and specialeffects to be tried.

Disadvantages:Resolution is still not as good as film but is improving steadily.

Images often have to be compressed to avoid using up too much expensive memory.

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3.53.53.53.5 ScannerScannerScannerScannerThese are used to digitise images of pages or objects.

A light moves slowly over the surface of the picture or object to bescanned. The colours of the reflected light are detected and

digitised to build up a digital image. The digital data can then besaved by a computer as an image file.

They can be used with OCR software to convert images of text into actual text datawhich can be edited by a word processor.

Advantages:Flat-bed scanners are very accurate and can produce images with a far higher resolutionthan a digital camera.

Disadvantages:Can produce very large image files which need a lot of computer memory to view andedit.

3.63.63.63.6 JoystickJoystickJoystickJoystickJoysticks are often used for playing computer games such as flightsimulators. They can also be used to control the movement of awheelchair or other machinery.

They input directional data like a mouse but work by switchesbeing closed as the joystick is moved left or right and up or down.

Mini finger-controlled joysticks can be used to control a laptop

cursor.

Advantages:Easy to learn to use. Very simple design so they can be inexpensive.

Disadvantages:Control can be a bit crude as the directions in simple joysticks are limited to forward,backwards, left and right. Better models offer diagonal movement or better.

3.73.73.73.7 MicrophoneMicrophoneMicrophoneMicrophoneThis is used for the input of sound which is then digitised by thecomputer. The digital audio can be saved for playback later on.

The digital audio can also be used with voice-recognitionsoftware to control hardware, navigate a menu or input textinto a word processor. Voice recognition can also be used insecurity systems.

Advantages:Voice recognition software can be used to convert your voice

into text or to control menu options on a phone system.

Disadvantages:Stored audio files can take up a lot of memory.

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Information Technology Textbook - 17 - 4 Output Devices

4444 Output DevicesOutput DevicesOutput DevicesOutput Devices4.14.14.14.1 MonitorsMonitorsMonitorsMonitorsThe computer monitor, screen or VDU (Visual Display Unit)is the most common output device.

Advantages - relatively cheap and reliable, can display textand graphics in a wide range of colours. They are also quietand do not waste paper.

Disadvantages - no permanent copy to keep and unsuitablefor users with visual problems.

Screen sizes are measured diagonally and are still quoted ininches. Popular sizes are 15 inches (38 cm) and 17 inches (43 cm). Larger monitors makeworking at a computer easier on the eyes and are essential for use in DTP (desktop

publishing) and CAD work.

Cathode ray tubes (CRTs):Most computer monitors are similar in many ways to a television. They use cathode raytubes (CRTs) containing an electron gun at the back of the tube which fires electronsat groups of phosphor dots coating the inside of the screen. When the electrons strikethe phosphor dots they glow to give the colours. On a colour monitor each group ofphosphor dots is made up of one green, one blue and one red dot (RGB). By varying thebrightness of each of these primary colours, the whole group will appear to the humaneye as any colour possible. One group of dots is called a pixel (short for pictureelement).

Other displays:

Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) - these use tiny crystals which, when a charge isapplied across them, polarise the light passing through them. Used in combinationwith special filters, this means that light will not pass through when an electricalcharge is applied. LCDs are also used in watches and calculators. They use much lesspower than a normal monitor and are also used in watches and calculators.

Thin film transistors (TFTs) - this is a more advanced type of display, giving fullcolour and high quality output. Each pixel on the screen is controlled by its owntransistor and this provides a higher resolution and more contrast.

Field emission displays (FEDs) are used in the more modern flat-panel displays. Theyuse two thin sheets of glass a millimetre apart, separated by a vacuum. The back glass ismade up of millions of tiny tips that can be switched on and off and fire electrons at thefront screen across the vacuum. When the phosphor dots are hit by the electrons, theyglow to produce bright, sharp images.

4.24.24.24.2 Monitor FeaturesMonitor FeaturesMonitor FeaturesMonitor FeaturesA monitor that meets your minimum criteria for screen size, resolution, dot pitch andrefresh rate is likely to give you trouble-free performance. But there are other features tobe considered, too. A careful reading of a monitors product literature should also find

references to:

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Multiscanning. A monitor should have the ability to use the various frequenciesproduced by the host CPU when the CPU sends data. Virtually all monitors now comewith the ability to multiscan, or operate in several frequencies.

Flat square. The front panel on recent CRTs comes in a shape that is flat or nearly flataround all edges. Flat screens reduce image distortions caused by rounded CRT shapes

and also help reduce glare.

Digital controls. Few monitor manufacturers include analogue controls for brightness,contrast or other screen settings recently, but that does not mean such monitors are notavailable. A displays digital controls let you make adjustments to the images colour,clarity, contrast and shape from a menu called an on-screen display, or OSD. Thesettings usually are saved automatically.

Energy Star. If your monitor is Energy Star-compliant, it will flash up the green EnergyStar logo almost immediately when it is powered up. The monitor blanks out in idlemode when the host computer is turned on but not being used, thereby greatlyreducing power consumption. To qualify as an Energy Star monitor, it must consume

less than 30 watts of power in its lowest power state.

Manufacturers return policy. Monitors are essentially fragile and can be easilydamaged during shipping. A no-name monitor might not be easily returned. Buy amonitor from a reputable vendor.

Plug and Play. Your new monitor should be easily recognized by the MicrosoftWindows Wizard and automatically configured for optimum service.

4.34.34.34.3 PrintersPrintersPrintersPrinters

What is a printer?A printer is an output device that produces text and graphics on paper.

Major types of printerPrinters can be divided into two main groups, impact printer andnon-impact printer.Impact printer produces text and images when tiny wire pins on print head strike theink ribbon by physically contacting the paper. Non-impact printer produces text andgraphics on paper without actually striking the paper.

Printers can also be categorized based on the print method or print technology. Themost popular ones are inkjet printer, laser printer, dot-matrix printer andthermalprinter. Among these, only dot-matrix printer is impact printer and the others arenon-impact printers.

Some printers are named because they are designed for specific functions, such as

photo printers, portable printers and all-in-one / multifunction printers. Photo

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printers and portable printers usually use inkjet print method whereas multifunctionprinters may use inkjet or laser print method.

Inkjet printers and laser printers are the most popular printer types for home andbusiness use. Dot matrix printer was popular in 70s and 80s but has been graduallyreplaced by inkjet printers for home use. However, they are still being used to print

multi-part forms and carbon copies for some businesses. The use of thermal printers islimited to ATM, cash registers and point-of-sales terminals. Some label printers andportable printers also use thermal printing.

Due to the popularity of digital camera, laptop and SoHo office (small office / homeoffice), the demand for photo printers, portable printers and multifunction printers hasalso increased substantially in recent years.

4.3.14.3.14.3.14.3.1 Inkjet PrintersInkjet PrintersInkjet PrintersInkjet PrintersInkjet printers are non-impact printers which print text and images by spraying tinydroplets of liquid ink onto paper. They are the most popular printers for home use.

Advantages of inkjet printers:

1) Low cost2) High quality of output, capable of printing fine and smooth details3)4) Easy to use5) Reasonably fast6) Quieter than dot matrix printer7) No warm up time

Disadvantages of inkjet printers:

1) Print head is less durable, prone to clogging and damage2) _____________________________________________________________________________________3) Not good for high volume printing4) Printing speed is not as fast as laser printers5) Ink bleeding, ink carried sideways causing blurred effects on some papers6) Aqueous ink is sensitive to water7) ______________________________________________________________________________________

Many consumer inkjet printers are selling at very low price (under $100) these days. Itis the printer manufacturers marketing strategy to reduce the price of the printers butdramatically mark up the price of replacement cartridges. However, consumers stillhave the options to buy cheap compatible and remanufactured inkjet cartridges or ink

refill kits to cut down printing cost.

4.3.24.3.24.3.24.3.2 LaserLaserLaserLaser PrintersPrintersPrintersPrintersLaser printers are non-impact printers which can print text and images in high speedand high quality resolution, ranging from 600 to 1200 dpi.

Unlike inkjet printers, laser printers use toner (black or coloured powder) instead ofliquid inks, which is fused onto paper using heat and pressure.

Advantages of laser printers:1) High resolution

2)3)

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4) Low cost per page (compared to inkjet printers)5) Printout is not sensitive to water6) Good for high volume printing

Disadvantages of laser printers:1) More expensive than inkjet printers

2) Except for high end machines, laser printers are less capable of printing vividcolours and high quality images such as photos.3)4) Bulkier than inkjet printers5)

4.3.34.3.34.3.34.3.3 DotDotDotDot----matrix printermatrix printermatrix printermatrix printerDot-matrix printer is an impact printer that produces text and graphics when tiny wirepins on the print head strike the ink ribbon. The print head runs back and forth on thepaper like a typewriter.

Advantages of dot matrix printer:1)2) Low printing cost per page3) Can be used on continuous form paper, useful for data logging4) Reliable,

Disadvantages of dot matrix printer:1)2) Limited print quality3)4) Limited colour printing

4.3.44.3.44.3.44.3.4 ExerciseExerciseExerciseExerciseSo far we have had three printer types, but some of the advantages anddisadvantages are left out. Read them here, and find their places in the article.

Cannot use highlighter marker on printouts Can print on multi-part forms or carbon copies Capable of printing in vivid colour, good for printing pictures

Durable Even a small drop of water can cause blurring Expensive replacement ink cartridges High print speed Low printing speed Noisy No smearing The cost of toner replacement and drum replacement is high Warm up time needed

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4.3.54.3.54.3.54.3.5 Thermal printersThermal printersThermal printersThermal printersThermal printers use two types of printing technologies: direct thermal and thermaltransfer printing.

Traditional thermal printers use direct thermal method by pushing electrically heated

pins against heat-sensitive paper (thermal paper). The coating on the thermal paperturns black in the areas where it is heated, producing characters or images. Directthermal printers have no ink, toner or ribbon. These printers are durable, easy to useand cost less to print than other printers. However, the thermal paper is sensitive toheat, light, water, and abrasion and the text and images may fade over time.

In thermal transfer printing, a thermal print head applies heat to a heat-sensitive ribbon,which melts ink onto paper and a wide range of materials to form text and images. Theprintouts can be extremely durable and can be stored over long period of time.

Thermal printers are often used in cash registers, ATMs and point-of-sales terminals.

4.3.64.3.64.3.64.3.6 Epson ink carEpson ink carEpson ink carEpson ink cartridge controversytridge controversytridge controversytridge controversyComputer printer manufacturers including Epson, Hewlett-Packard, Canon andLexmark have long adopted the razor and blades business model, where they will retailtheir printers at very low cost or at a loss, in order to acquire new customers who willeventually purchase expensive consumables (such as cartridges, paper and otherreplacement parts) for their products, where most profits can be made.

In recent years, Epson has been accused of manufacturing expensive consumables fortheir printers. It is also said that the company is forcing customers to purchasereplacement ink cartridges before they are truly spent by using 'intelligence chips' tocount how many pages have been printed in order to estimate the remaining ink,without actually monitoring the true ink levels.

Generic cartridge manufacturersEpson for a long time has been trying to stop generic cartridge manufacturers fromproducing Epson compatible products that infringe on Epson patents. During the lastsix years, Epson has filed lawsuits to stop the production and sale of these infringingink cartridges in the US and European Markets. According to IDG News Service, Epsonfiled a complaint with the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) inFebruary, 2006, against 24 companies that manufacture, import, or distribute Epson-compatible ink cartridges for sale in the U.S. On March 30, 2007, ITC judge PaulLuckern issued an initial determination that the ink cartridges in question do infringeupon Epson's patents.[citation needed] The judge also recommended the companiesand others are barred from importing and selling the cartridges in the US, Epson said.

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4.44.44.44.4 ExerciseExerciseExerciseExerciseDecide which the best kind of printer is in these situations. Give reasons wherepossible.

a) Printing forms with two parts:b) Printing high quality black and white copies:c) Print a lot of colour photos in a short time:d) Print a few copies, colour and speed are not important:e) Print a few pages in colour:

4.54.54.54.5 SpeakersSpeakersSpeakersSpeakersLogitech x-230 2.1 2-Piece Dual Drive Speakers with Ported SubwooferWhen considering buying a computer speaker, the best productis the one which produces quality sound, has a subwoofer forpounding additional bass and fits well into your budget. Allthese aspects are well fulfilled by the Logitech x-230 2.1 2-PieceDual Drive Speakers with Ported Subwoofer. Lets review theproduct.

The Logitech X-230's high-tech subwoofer adjusts itselfdynamically to deliver distortion-free bass, while the two wall-mountable satellite speakers use Logitech's patented FDD2 technology to eliminate theuneven sound response created by conventional dual-driver designs. The result you getis a clear, uniform sound field without the "hot spots" and inconsistency of other dual-driver satellites. What is more the Logitech X-230 fits well into your budget and savesyou few bucks which you spend on other products. The cabling is easy with the colourcoded audio cables. The Logitech X-230 comes with the master controls and thesubwoofer level controls and they are conveniently placed for a quick easy access. Someof the features of the Logitech X-230 are

Logitech X-230 Features 32 watts of total power Frequency Directed Dual Driver (FDD2) satellite technology for uniform sound

field creating full, clear sound Dynamic, real-time bass equalization maximizes bass response Sound Distortion Free Ported subwoofer design for deeper bass Headphone jack for private listening Master volume and subwoofer level controls allow convenient access Satellite speaker stands for easy wall-mounting

Our word is that the Logitech X-230 is a great product fro your home environment and

a great value for money.

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Information Technology Textbook - 23 - 5 Operating Systems

5555 Operating SystemsOperating SystemsOperating SystemsOperating Systems

What is the best operating system and why?What is the best operating system and why?What is the best operating system and why?What is the best operating system and why?

The best desktop operating system to use depends on what its intended use will be and

who will be using it. There is no specific operating system which can be called "thebest" overall, and since most current operating systems share most common andadvanced features there is much debate on the topic. A few of the most popularoperating system, their pros and cons, and some of their best uses are described below.

5.15.15.15.1 Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows

Pros:

The largest library of programs and applications. Some commercial games work only with Windowsand DirectX. Almost all hardware has drivers which are

compatible with Windows.

Most widely used.Cons:

Prone to viruses, spyware, and adware if proper steps are not taken such asinstallation of internet security software, which reduces performance speed.

Requires regular maintenance to avoid system errors and reduced performance.

Even with maintenance, issues can slowly accumulate requiring a re-installationof Windows to restore performance and fix software issues.

Purchasing a Windows license/install disk can be relatively expensive Windows Vista, the most recent version of Windows, has high system

requirements.

Notes:

Windows Vista, the most recent consumer version of Windows, has relativelyhigh system requirements compared to its Windows XP and other operatingsystems. There are also other issues, such as some software and hardware

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incompatibilities or frequent security confirmations, which are causing manyindividuals and businesses to continue using the older Windows XP.

The two most common versions of Windows are Windows XP and WindowsVista. Vista, although it has some issues, does have some new features such assearch-as-you-type search and a 3D-accelerated desktop, features up until nowonly found in Mac OS X and some versions of Linux.

Best users:

Gamers People who must use Windows-only software for work or school. People or businesses looking for an inexpensive computer yet do not have the

ability to use Linux.

5.25.25.25.2 Mac OS XMac OS XMac OS XMac OS X

Pros:

Relatively simple and intuitive interfacewith many advanced features.

Not virus or malware prone: there are noMac OS X viruses in the wild, and withits UNIX base, it is fairly resilient. Thereare a small number of Trojans (malicioussoftware) which have been known to

take effect through applications running in Mac OS X, though they are almostalways found on illegal-content-based websites and are not of significantconcern.

Second-largest selection of software, with many high-quality Mac-onlyprograms in existence, such as those found in iLife. Although at one pointsoftware for certain tasks were not Mac-compatible, all software is now eitherMac-compatible or has an equivalent that is. Most advanced games have alsorecently become compatible with Mac OS X.

Reliable and high performance.Cons:

Limited to Apple-manufactured hardware. Some hardware does not have Mac-compatible drivers, though the number of

this hardware has recently become small and negligible.

It can be difficult to do certain cross-platform network hardware sharing for aMac OS X based computer in a Windows network or vice-versa. For example, aprinter's Mac driver may not support cross-platform printing to a Windows-connected printer, and replacement drivers may or may not exist.

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Notes:

Though Mac OS X suffers from relatively very few hacks, security holes in MacOS X do exist, just like in any other operating system. Also, like in otheroperating systems, they are fixed with software updates upon their discovery.

With a relatively low market share compared to Windows, there are stillindividual programs which are only Windows compatible. However, virtualmachine software with a Windows installation or compatibility layer softwarecan allow those programs to run even on a Mac.

Best users:

Students who are not required to use Windows-specific software (thoughWindows can easily be installed to use Windows software). A recent studyindicated that the number of American students intending to purchase Macshas neared that of Windows-based PCs.

Home users looking for an easy and reliable computing experience who arewilling to pay more than low-end PC prices.

Graphic designers and photographers. Scientists.

5.35.35.35.3 Linux andLinux andLinux andLinux and OOOOther UNIXther UNIXther UNIXther UNIX----basedbasedbasedbasedPros:

Low number of viruses and other malware, similarto Mac OS X

Usually free Large selection of Linux distributions to choose

from.

Has a large amount of free and open sourcesoftware equivalents to commercial Windows andMac software

More easily customizable Can run many Windows programs with the use of a compatibility layer such as

Wine. (Programs such as Cedega can be used to run many Windows games)

Reliable with good performance and low requirements.Cons:

Advanced use and installation of some software may require more advancedknowledge than is required for use of Windows and Mac.

Many commercial programs do not support Linux Small commercial game library

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Notes:

There are a few main types of Linux: Debian, Fedora (formerly Red Hat), andSUSE. Ubuntu, a type of Debian, is highly popular among home users, as isSUSE, to a lesser extent. Fedora is more popular among businesses.

There are many other (non-Linux) UNIX-based operating systems (with thesame UNIX base as Linux), including Mac OS X and SunOS (which are basedon Free-BSD). There are also some UNIX-like operating systems.

Best users:

Experienced computer users looking for a good, free operating system. Businesses looking for reliable and affordable computing, so long as they do not

need Windows-only software and have a competent IT manager.

Bottom lineThough there is no one clear best operating system, each does have its advantages anddisadvantages, and different people will be best using different ones. MicrosoftWindows is the most common operating system and is a reasonable choice for mostpeople. Mac OS X is second-most popular (and gaining market share) and is anexcellent operating system for those who can purchase a Mac. Linux is a very goodadvanced operating system available for free and is recommended for experienced users.

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Information Technology Textbook - 27 - 6 Word Processing

6666 Word ProcessingWord ProcessingWord ProcessingWord Processing6.16.16.16.1 TheTheTheThe BBBBeginningeginningeginningeginning

The term word processing was invented by IBM in the late 1960s. A 1971 Times articlereferred to "the brave new world of Word Processing.

IBM defined the term in a broad and vague way as "the combination of people,procedures, and equipment which transforms ideas into printed communications," andoriginally used it to include dictating machines and ordinary, manually-operatedtypewriters.

IBM's Mag Tape Selectric Typewriter (MTST) and later Mag Card Selectric (MCST)were early devices of this kind, which allowed editing, simple revision, and repetitive

typing, with a one-line display for editing single lines.

In 1971, a third of all working women in the United States were secretaries, and theycould see that word processing would have an impact on their careers. Somemanufacturers, according to a Times article, urged that "the concept of 'word processing'could be the answer to Women's Lib advocates' prayers. Word processing willreplace the 'traditional' secretary and give women new administrative roles in businessand industry."

The 1970s word processing concept did not refer merely to equipment, but, explicitly,to the use of equipment for "breaking down secretarial labor into distinct components,with some staff members handling typing exclusively while others supply

administrative support. A typical operation would leave most executives withoutprivate secretaries. Instead one secretary would perform various administrative tasksfor three or more secretaries."

In the early 1970s, computer scientist Harold Koplow was hired by Wang Laboratoriesto program calculators. One of his programs permitted a Wang calculator to interfacewith an IBM Selectric typewriter, which was at the time used to calculate and print thepaperwork for auto sales.

In 1974, Koplow's interface program was developed into the Wang 1200 WordProcessor, an IBM Selectric-based text-storage device. The operator of this machinetyped text on a conventional IBM Selectric; when the Return key was pressed, the line

of text was stored on a cassette tape. One cassette held roughly 20 pages of text, andcould be "played back" (i.e., the text retrieved) by printing the contents on continuous-

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form paper in the 1200 typewriter's "print" mode. The stored text could also be edited,using keys on a simple, six-key array. Basic editing functions included Insert, Delete,Skip (character, line), and so on.

The rudimentary Wang 1200 machine was the precursor of the Wang OfficeInformation System (OIS), introduced in 1976, whose CRT-based system was a major

breakthrough in word processing technology. It displayed text on a CRT screen, andincorporated virtually every fundamental characteristic of word processors as we knowthem today. It was a true office machine, affordable by organizations such as medium-sized law firms, and easily learned and operated by secretarial staff.

6.26.26.26.2 What is W/P?What is W/P?What is W/P?What is W/P?Word processing is the ability to create documents using a word processor. It can alsorefer to advanced shorthand techniques, sometimes used in specialized contexts with aspecially modified typewriter.

A word processor (more formally known as document preparation system) is acomputer application used for the production (including composition, editing,formatting, and possibly printing) of any sort of printable material.

Word processor may also refer to an obsolete type of stand-alone office machine,popular in the 1970s and 80s, combining the keyboard text-entry and printingfunctions of an electric typewriter with a dedicated computer for the editing of text.Although features and design varied between manufacturers and models, with newfeatures added as technology advanced, word processors for several years usuallyfeatured a monochrome display and the ability to save documents on memory cards ordiskettes. Later models introduced innovations such as spell-checking programs,increased formatting options, and dot-matrix printing. As the more versatile

combination of a personal computer and separate printer became commonplace, theword processor disappeared.

Word processors are descended from early text formatting tools (sometimes calledtext justification tools, from their only real capability). Word processing was one ofthe earliest applications for the personal computer in office productivity.

Although early word processors used tag-based markup for document formatting, mostmodern word processors take advantage of a graphical user interface. Most arepowerful systems consisting of one or more programs that can produce any arbitrarycombination of images, graphics and text, the latter handled with type-settingcapability.

Microsoft Word is the most widely used computer word processing system; Microsoftestimates over five hundred million people use the Office suite, which includes Word.There are also many other commercial word processing applications, such asWordPerfect, which dominated the market from the mid-1980s to early-1990s,particularly for machines running Microsoft's MS-DOS operating system. Open-sourceapplications such as OpenOffice.org Writer and KWord are rapidly gaining inpopularity. Online word processors such as Google Docs are a relatively new category.

Other word processing functions include "spell checking", "grammar checking"(checks for what seem to be simple grammar errors), and a "thesaurus" function(finds words with similar or opposite meanings). In most languages grammar is very

complex, so grammar checkers tend to be unreliable and also require a large amount of

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RAM. Other common features include collaborative editing, comments andannotations, support for images and diagrams and internal cross-referencing.

Word processors can be distinguished from several other, related forms ofsoftware:

Text editors (modern examples of which include Notepad, Emacs and vi), were theprecursors of word processors. While offering facilities for composing and editing text,they do not format documents. This can be done by batch document processingsystems, starting with TJ-2 and RUNOFF and still available in such systems as LaTeX.Text editors are now used mainly by programmers, website designers, and computersystem administrators. They are also useful when fast startup times, small file sizes andportability are preferred over formatting.

Later desktop publishing programs were specifically designed to allow elaborate layoutfor publication, but often offered only limited support for editing. Typically, desktoppublishing programs allowed users to import text that they have written using a texteditor or word processor.

Almost all word processors enable users to employ styles, which are used to automateconsistent formatting of text body, titles, subtitles, highlighted text, and so on.

Styles are the key to managing the formatting of large documents, since changing a styleautomatically changes all text that the style has been applied to. Even in shorterdocuments styles can save a lot of time while formatting. However, most help files referto styles as an 'advanced feature' of the word processor, which often discourages usersfrom using styles regularly.

6.36.36.36.3 EducationEducationEducationEducationMany schools have begun to teach typing and word processing to their students,starting as early as elementary school. Typically these skills are developed throughoutsecondary school in preparation for the business world. Undergraduate studentstypically spend many hours writing essays. Graduate and doctoral students continuethis trend, as well as creating works for research and publication.

6.46.46.46.4 HomeHomeHomeHomeWhile many homes have word processors on their computers, word processing in thehome tends to be educational or business related, dealing with assignments or workbeing completed at home. Some use word processors for letter writing, rsum creation,

and card creation. However, many of these home publishing processes have been takenover by desktop publishing programs such as Adobe Pagemaker, which is better suitedfor these types of documents.

6.56.56.56.5 The Standard, Formatting and Drawing ToolbarsThe Standard, Formatting and Drawing ToolbarsThe Standard, Formatting and Drawing ToolbarsThe Standard, Formatting and Drawing Toolbars6.5.16.5.16.5.16.5.1 The Standard toolbarThe Standard toolbarThe Standard toolbarThe Standard toolbar

This entire toolbar could become a floating window by dragging on the control bar atthe far left end of this toolbar. That gives the following window, which can be placed

anywhere on the screen:

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This toolbar can be restored to its original position by clicking in the gray bar at the topand dragging it back to the top of the screen. Push the top of the window up to thebottom of the menu bar.

Function of commonly used buttons

Creates a new blankdocument based on thedefault template

Opens or finds a file

Saves the active file with itscurrent file name, locationand file format

Prints the active file - formore print options go to theFile menu and select Print

Print preview - Shows howthe document will lookwhen you print it.

Spelling, grammar andwriting style checker

Cut - Removes the selectionfrom the document andplaces it on the clipboard

Copy - Copies the selecteditem(s) to the clipboard

Paste - Places the content ofthe clipboard at theinsertion point

Format painter - Copies theformat from a selectedobject or text and applies toother objects or text

Undo - Reverses the lastcommand, use pull-downmenu to undo several steps

Redo - Reverses the actionof the Undo button, use thepull-down menu to redoseveral steps

Displays the Tables andBorders toolbar

Insert a table into thedocument, or make a tableof selected text

Insert an Excel spreadsheetinto the Word document

Columns - Changes thenumber of columns in adocument

Displays or hides theDrawing toolbar

Zoom - Enlarge or reducethe display of the activedocument

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6.5.26.5.26.5.26.5.2 The Formatting toolbarThe Formatting toolbarThe Formatting toolbarThe Formatting toolbar

This entire toolbar could become a floating window by dragging on the control bar atthe far left end of this toolbar. That gives the following window, which can be placedanywhere on the screen:



Select the style to apply toparagraphs

Changes the font of theselected text

Changes the size ofselected text and numbers

Makes selected text andnumbers bold

Makes selected text andnumbers italic

Underlines selected textand numbers

Aligns to the left with aragged right margin

Centers the selected text

Aligns to the right with aragged left margin

Aligns the selected text toboth the left and rightmargins

Makes a numbered list orreverts back to normal

Add, or remove, bullets ina selected paragraph

Decreases the indent tothe previous tab stop

Indents the selectedparagraph to the next tabstop

Adds or removes a borderaround selected text orobjects

Marks text so that it ishighlighted and standsout

Formats the selected textwith the color you click

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6.5.36.5.36.5.36.5.3 The Drawing toolbarThe Drawing toolbarThe Drawing toolbarThe Drawing toolbar

This entire toolbar could become a floating window by dragging on the control bar atthe far left end of this toolbar. That gives the following window, which can be placed

anywhere on the screen:



A pulldown menuwith several drawingoptions

Changes the pointer toa selection arrow

Rotates the selectedobject to any degree

A pulldown menuwith several librariesof shapes

Draws a line whereyou click and drag.Hold the Shift keydown to make the linestraight

Inserts a line with anarrowhead where youclick and drag

Draws a rectanglewhere you click anddrag. Hold down Shiftto draw a square

Draws an oval whereyou click and drag.Hold down Shift todraw a circle

Draws a text boxwhere you click anddrag

Create text effectswith WordArt

Add, modify, orremove fill colour froma selected object

Add, modify, orremove line colour

Formats the selectedtext with the colouryou click

Changes the thicknessof lines

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Selects dash style fordashed lines

Select arrow style;placement and shapeof arrowhead

A pulldown menu

offers shadow choices

Add 3-d effects to

rectangles or ovals

6.66.66.66.6 ExercisesExercisesExercisesExercisesWord Processing Vocabulary Choose the correct answer.1. _______ is used in place of a mouse to move your cursor.

a) a font styleb) an iconc) arrow keys

2. A computerized method of writing, editing, saving, and printing text is:

a) a databaseb) a spreadsheetc) word processing

3. The line near the top of the screen that tells you the name of your file is called:

a) the menu barb) the title barc) the tool bar

4. Tara has finally finished typing her four page science project and wants to read the second pageagain. She should:

a) Use the scroll bar to view her copyb) copy and paste her workc) cut and paste the work

5. Another name for alphabetical information that was entered is:

a) textb) characterc) data

6. ______ is output from a printer.

a) printoutb) word wrapc) text

7. Betsy has decided to send a reminder to each of her six good friends concerning the schooldance. She wants to type the same message six times. What does she use?

a) insertb) copy and pastec) cut and paste

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8. A highlighted mark (sometimes blinking) that tells you where you are on the computer screen iscalled:

a) a fontb) a iconc) a cursor

9. Letting the computer decide where to end each line is a function called:

a) data searchb) character wrapc) word wrap

10. Any letter number or symbol typed on the keyboard is:

a) a characterb) a fontc) a piece of data

11. Pictures or symbols that represent work (files and programs) behind them are called:

a) iconsb) textc) characters

12. To make changes to a document is to:

a) deleteb) editc) insert

13. _____is a style of writing.

a) fontb) textc) data

14. Anthony realizes that he has typed the same sentence twice in the last paragraph and needs tocorrect his mistake. Which function should he use?

a) copy and pasteb) insertc) delete

15. _________ is a word processing file that you have created.

a) a databaseb) word processingc) a document

16. Sharon wants to move the second paragraph to the end of his paper. Which function wouldwork best?

a) copy and pasteb) cut and pastec) insert

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Information Technology Textbook - 36 - 7 Spreadsheets and Databases

7777 Spreadsheets and DatabasesSpreadsheets and DatabasesSpreadsheets and DatabasesSpreadsheets and Databases7.17.17.17.1 Parts of the Excel 2007Parts of the Excel 2007Parts of the Excel 2007Parts of the Excel 2007 SSSScreencreencreencreen

Active CellIn an Excel 2007 worksheet, the cell with the black outline. Data is always entered intothe active cell.

Column LetterColumns run vertically on a worksheet and each one is identified by a letter in thecolumn header.

Formula BarLocated above the worksheet, this area displays the contents of the active cell. It can

also be used for entering or editing data and formulas.

Name BoxLocated next to the formula bar, the Name Box displays the cell reference or the nameof the active cell.

Row NumberRows run horizontally in an Excel 2007 worksheet and are identified by a number inthe row header.

Sheet TabSwitching between worksheets in an Excel 2007 file is done by clicking on the sheettab at the bottom of the screen.

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Quick Access ToolbarThis customizable toolbar allows you to add frequently used commands. Click on thedown arrow at the end of the toolbar to display the toolbar's options.

Office Button

Clicking on the Office Button displays a drop down menu containing a number ofoptions, such as open, save, and print. The options in the Office Button menu are verysimilar to those found under the File menu in previous versions of Excel.

RibbonThe Ribbon is the strip of buttons and icons located above the work area in Excel 2007.The Ribbon replaces the menus and toolbars found in earlier versions of Excel.

7.27.27.27.2 Calculating with FormulasCalculating with FormulasCalculating with FormulasCalculating with FormulasThe real power of the spreadsheet comes from being able to perform calculations on thedata you have entered. All formulas consist of an equal sign followed by the formula forthe calculation. You enter them into a cell just as you would enter numeric or text data.The basic arithmetic operations can be performed easily; for example, entering "=4+2"into a cell results in a "6" being displayed as the cell's value. Other arithmetic operationsare indicated as follows:

You organize complex expressions with parentheses. The portion of a formula enclosedby parentheses will be calculated first, and the result of that sub-calculation is thenused. For example, = (4+2) * (1+3) will be treated as 6 * 4, resulting in 24. In the absenceof parentheses, the formula is often calculated based on the type of arithmetic operator.Exponentiation is performed first, then multiplication and division, and finally additionand subtraction. For example, =3^2+5 is calculated as = (3^2) + 5, whereas =5-3*2 iscalculated as =5 + (3*2). Therefore, you should use parentheses if you wish to ensurethat the calculation is performed in a specific order.

Entering the formula is just like entering numeric or text data. Type the formula into

the selected cell through the Formula Bar. You use cell references (e.g., A1) for variousparts of the calculation, by either typing in the reference or by clicking the cell in thedisplay.

The result of the calculation will appear in the cell after you have accepted the edit.

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7.37.37.37.3 Parts of a DatabaseParts of a DatabaseParts of a DatabaseParts of a Database1/ Data:Of course, as databases are specially designed to organize data, data is one of the keyparts of a database.

The data is the information that is placed in a database. Here is a database that we areall familiar with: an address book.

Name Address Phone Number E-mail

John Cook 255 Main St. 543-7885 [email protected]

Matthew Smith 43 First Ave. 423-4567 [email protected]

Emily Coffey 2 Meadow Ln. 978-2346 [email protected]

Mary France 43 Strawberry Rd. 231-5926 [email protected]

All of the names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses are called data.

2/ Field:Fields are where the data goes when it is entered into a database. Recall the addressbook that we mentioned above. Each of the columns would be called a field. The wordsin bold are called Field Names, because they describe the information that is to becontained in the field.

Some fields can contain text, some numeric values, some images, some a short movieclip, some an audio file- the list goes on and on.

Sometimes, you can control the type of data that can be placed in a certain field. For

example, say you want to limit the "Name" field in the above address book to onlyletters. There are "attribute" tags you can add to each field that restrict the kind of datathat is to be placed in the field. For example, there are "attribute" tags that might saythat you can only place letters in a field and other "attribute" tags that might say youcan only place numbers in the field.

There is also another type of attribute tag that can limit the number of characters thatyou can place in a field. For example, a certain attribute tag might say that you can onlytype in a maximum of 10 letters in a certain field.

Finally, there is a type of attribute tag that is called "required, optional, or calculated."These attribute tags control the amount of data to be placed in a certain field. If a field

is given the "required" attribute tag that means that the field is mandatory: meaningthat you must put data in the field. You cannot leave it empty. On the other hand, a field

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with an "optional" attribute tag does not have to be filled in. Finally, the "calculated"attribute tag means that the user is not supposed to fill it in. The computer will later fillin this field after it has performed the necessary calculations.

3/ Records

Just as fields would be the columns in the address book above, the records would be therows. If you take a look at the address book that we mentioned above, a record wouldbe a row of data.

However, keep in mind that the first row is NOT called a record because it contains thefield names. Thus, records begin with the second row.

Database Files:Database files are composed of all of the fields, records, and data that are found in atypical database. The more fi

Gulyás-Guth - Information Technology English (2009, 62 oldal)

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