Computer and You.

Question 9

2009-03-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

2 hardware that are used to enable computers to communicate

USB Port.
USB was designed to be low cost and to be used in cheap devices like mice and game controllers with the ability to connect multiple USB devices and have faster speed and also easier to use with its capability of "plug and play", which allows you to remove the device while the PC is running.

Dedicated.
Dedicated ports are computer interface slots which are connected to a computers motherboard for the sole purpose of its defined application; other hardware needing uses to this port will earth have to be conformed of not use it at all. The most common applications are external: mouse and keyboards. The reverse of a general port.

Question 8.

2009-03-16T17:22:00.000-07:00

3 OF APPLICATION SOFTWARES.

WORDPROCESSOR

wordprocessor is used for the production (including composition, editing, formatting, and possibly printing) of any sort of printable material.

SPREADSHEET
A spreadsheet is a computer application that superseded paper worksheets. It displays multiple cells that together make up a grid consisting of rows and columns, each cell containing either alphanumeric text or numeric values. A spreadsheet cell may alternatively contain a formula that defines how the contents of that cell is to be calculated from the contents of any other cell (or combination of cells) each time any cell is updated. Spreadsheets are frequently used for financial information because of their ability to re-calculate the entire sheet automatically after a change to a single cell.

DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
A DBMS is a complex set of software programs that controls the organization, storage, management, and retrieval of data in a database. A DBMS includes:

1. A modeling language to define the schema of each database hosted in the DBMS, according to the DBMS data model.
The four most common types of organizations are the hierarchical, network, relational and object models. Inverted lists and other methods are also used. A given database management system may provide one or more of the four models. The optimal structure depends on the natural organization of the application's data, and on the application's requirements (which include transaction rate (speed), reliability, maintainability, scalability, and cost).
The dominant model in use today is the ad hoc one embedded in SQL, despite the objections of purists who believe this model is a corruption of the relational model, since it violates several of its fundamental principles for the sake of practicality and performance. Many DBMSs also support the Open Database Connectivity API that supports a standard way for programmers to access the DBMS.

2. Data structures (fields, records, files and objects) optimized to deal with very large amounts of data stored on a permanent data storage device (which implies relatively slow access compared to volatile main memory).

3. A database query language and report writer to allow users to interactively interrogate the database, analyze its data and update it according to the users privileges on data.
It also controls the security of the database.
Data security prevents unauthorized users from viewing or updating the database. Using passwords, users are allowed access to the entire database or subsets of it called subschemas. For example, an employee database can contain all the data about an individual employee, but one group of users may be authorized to view only payroll data, while others are allowed access to only work history and medical data.
If the DBMS provides a way to interactively enter and update the database, as well as interrogate it, this capability allows for managing personal databases. However, it may not leave an audit trail of actions or provide the kinds of controls necessary in a multi-user organization. These controls are only available when a set of application programs are customized for each data entry and updating function.

4. A transaction mechanism, that ideally would guarantee the ACID properties, in order to ensure data integrity, despite concurrent user accesses (concurrency control), and faults (fault tolerance).
It also maintains the integrity of the data in the database.
The DBMS can maintain the integrity of the database by not allowing more than one user to update the same record at the same time. The DBMS can help prevent duplicate records via unique index constraints; for example, no two customers with the same customer numbers (key fields) can be entered into the database. See ACID properties for more information (Redundancy avoidance).

Question 7

2009-03-16T17:21:00.001-07:00

2 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES

COMPILER
A compiler is a computer program (or set of programs) that translates text written in a computer language (the source language) into another computer language (the target language)
two examples of compiler are Pascal and C.

INTERPRETER
An interpreter normally means a computer program that executes, i.e. performs, instructions written in a programming language. While interpretation and compilation are the two principal means by which programming languages are implemented, these are not fully distinct categories, one of the reasons being that most interpreting systems also perform some translation work, just like compilers. An interpreter may be a program that either.
two examples of interpreter are Python and Perl.

Question 6.

2009-03-16T17:20:00.001-07:00

UTILITY SOFTWARE

Disk defragmenters - Examples include a Disk defragmenter which can detect computer files whose contents have been stored on the hard disk in disjointed fragments, and move the fragments together to increase efficiency; a Disk checker can scan the contents of a hard disk to find files or areas that are corrupted in some way, or were not correctly saved, and eliminate them for a more efficiently operating hard drive; a Disk cleaner can find files that unnecessary to computer operation, or take up considerable amounts of space. Disk cleaner helps the user to decide what to delete when their hard disk is full.

System Profilers - A System profiler can provide detailed information about the software installed and hardware attached to the computer. Backup software can make a copy of all information stored on a computer, and restore either the entire system (e.g. in an event of disk failure) or selected files (e.g. in an event of accidental deletion). Disk compression software can transparently compress the contents of the hard disk, in order to fit more information to the drive.

Question 5.

2009-03-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

TRANSLATOR

Machine translation, sometimes referred to by the abbreviation MT, is a sub-field of computational linguistics that investigates the use of computer software to translate text or speech from one natural language to another. At its basic level, MT performs simple substitution of words in one natural language for words in another. Using corpus techniques, more complex translations may be attempted, allowing for better handling of differences in linguistic typology, phrase recognition, and translation of idioms, as well as the isolation of anomalies.

Current machine translation software often allows for customisation by domain or profession (such as weather reports) — improving output by limiting the scope of allowable substitutions. This technique is particularly effective in domains where formal or formulaic language is used. It follows then that machine translation of government and legal documents more readily produces usable output than conversation or less standardised text.

Improved output quality can also be achieved by human intervention: for example, some systems are able to translate more accurately if the user has unambiguously identified which words in the text are names. With the assistance of these techniques, MT has proven useful as a tool to assist human translators, and in some cases can even produce output that can be used "as is". However, current systems are unable to produce output of the same quality as a human translator, particularly where the text to be translated uses casual language.

Question 4.

2009-03-16T17:12:00.001-07:00

USER INTERFACES

It is what you see when you turn on your computer; it consists of the cursors, prompts, icons, menus, etc. which allow you to get something done using your computer. Ideally the user interface should be as easy to use as possible, so it is obvious to someone who has never used the software before, what they have to do.

User interfaces may be:
1. command-driven
2. menu-driven
3. graphical (referred to as a graphical user interface or GUI)

1. Common-driven interface
With a command-driven interface, you type an instruction, which is usually abbreviated, in order to get something done. Common-driven user interfaced are not easy to use. If you are new to the software you have to remember many commands in order to be able to use the software quickly. Commands for different software packages are rarely the same,so people often get the commands mied up. Some people, mainly those who are used to using them, prefer command-driven menus because they can be faster to use once you learnt all the commands.

2. Menu-driven interface
This type of user interface produces a list of commands or option available within a program and the user can make a selection by using either a mouse or a keyboard. Both Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh programs are menu driven.

3. Graphical user interface
A grapical user interface (GUI) provides a way for the user to communicate with the computer through pull-down menus. Windows is provides a common way of using programs, which makes them easier to learn. It also takes care of some common chores such as working with the printer and the disk drive.

Question 3

2009-03-16T17:11:00.000-07:00

THREE description of operating system.
1. "responsible for creating the link between the material resources, the user and the applications (word processor, video game, etc.)"

2. "When a programme wants to access a material resource, it does not need to send specific information to the peripheral device but it simply sends the information to the operating system, which conveys it to the relevant peripheral via its driver. If there are no drivers, each programme has to recognise and take into account the communication with each type of peripheral"

3."The operating system thus allows the "dissociation" of programmes and hardware, mainly to simplify resource management and offer the user a simplified Man-machine interface (MMI) to overcome the complexity of the actual machine."

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Question 2

2009-03-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

2.1. Input devices;
Input is the term denoting either an entrance or changes which are inserted into a system and which activate/modify a process. It is an abstract concept, used in the modeling, system(s) design and system(s) exploitation. It is usually connected with other terms, e.g., input field, input variable, input parameter, input value, input signal, input device and input file.
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2.2. Storage devices;
To help keep files saved and not lost.

2.4. Output devices.
Output is the process of transmitting information or the transmitted information itself. Essentially, output is any data exiting a computer system. This could be in the form of printed paper, audio, video. In the medical industry this might include CT scans or x-rays. Typically in computing, data is entered through various forms (input) into a computer, the data is often manipulated, and then information is presented to a human (output).
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Question 1.

2009-03-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

1.1. HARDWARE

Hardware is a general term that refers to the physical artifacts of a technology. It may also mean the physical components of a computer system, in the form of computer hardware.

Hardware historically meant the metal parts and fittings that were used to make wooden products stronger, more functional, longer lasting and easier to fabricate or assemble. In modern usage it includes equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, corners, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts, especially when they are made of metal.

In the electronics and especially computer industries, computer hardware specifically means the physical or tangible parts of the equipment, such as circuit boards, keyboards, monitors etc., in contrast to non-physical software running on the computer or other device.

1.2. SOFTWARE

Computer software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform some tasks on a computer system.The term includes application software such as word processors which perform productive tasks for users, system software such as operating systems, which interface with hardware to provide the necessary services for application software, and middleware which controls and co-ordinates distributed systems.

1.3. INPUT DEVICE

An Input device is any piece of computer hardware equipment used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system (such as a computer). Input and output devices make up the hardware interface between a computer and the user or external world.

Typical examples of input devices include keyboards and mouse. However, there are others which provide many more degrees of freedom. In general, any sensor which monitors, scans for and accepts information from the external world can be considered an input device, whether or not the information is under the direct control of a user.

1.4. STORAGE DEVICE

A data storage device is a device for recording (storing) information (data). Recording can be done using virtually any form of energy, spanning from manual muscle power in handwriting, to acoustic vibrations in phonographic recording, to electromagnetic energy modulating magnetic tape and optical discs.

A storage device may hold information, process information, or both. A device that only holds information is a recording medium. Devices that process information (data storage equipment) may either access a separate portable (removable) recording medium or a permanent component to store and retrieve information.

1.5. OUTPUT DEVICE

An output device is any piece of computer hardware equipment used to communicate the results of data processing carried out by an information processing system (such as a computer) to the outside world.

In computing, input/output, or I/O, refers to the communication between an information processing system (such as a computer), and the outside world. Inputs are the signals or data sent to the system, and outputs are the signals or data sent by the system to the outside.

The most common input devices used by the computer are the keyboard and mouse. The keyboard allows the entry of textual information while the mouse allows the selection of a point on the screen by moving a screen cursor to the point and pressing a mouse button. The most common outputs are monitors and speakers.

1st assignment.

2009-03-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

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The answers, I got it from Wikipedia, our Information Systems For You textbook and some of the seniors website last year. :)