Wednesday, October 2, 2013

3: PTI Assignment 2

PTI Assignment 2: Pages 42-43 of textbook Discovering Computers
Lecturer: Mr. Tri Djoko Wahjono, Ir, M.Sc.

By: Veronica Ong (1701317660) of class 01PCT

Task: Complete questions 1 - 11 on pages 42-43 on the textbook Discovering Computers.

Questions and Answers:

1. Why Is Computer Literacy Vital in Today’s World?
Computer literacy is important in today’s world because the whole world nowadays is rounded by technology. Every human being on the planet has to have the ability to have the current knowledge and understanding of computers and their uses. Technology also changes as time changes itself. Computer literacy is very vital to success.

2. What Is a Computer, and What Is the Relationship between Data and Information?
Computer is a digital machine which operates under the control of instructions and commands which has a memory and can process data according to the input data given, and processes the data according to the commands stored on itself or the commands we give which the computer understands. Data is a collection of data which aren’t processed yet by the computer. Information is a form of data, which has already been processed by the computer.

3. List and Describe the Five Components of a Computer.
The computer consists of five components, they are: Input devices, output devices, system unit, storage devices, and communication devices. An input device allows us to input our own data into the computer. An output lets the computer show information to other people. The system unit is a place where the computer stores data that are processed. In a storage device, a computer records items from storage media. A communication device lets a computer send and receive data, instructions, and information to another computer.

4. What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages That Users Experience When Working with Computers?
There are lots of advantages and disadvantages when working with computers. Computers have of course the good speed for finishing a job because it lets us get our job done quickly. It also has a very accurate consistency because we can finish our job the way we want it to be finished. They also have a very big memory compared to our short-term memory brain which is not really as consistent.
Despite all these advantages, there are disadvantages to it too. Spending too much time on a computer can cause health risks, like cancer. People too who are too open on the internet, becomes violating their own privacy, which then increases the danger of their own public safety.

5. What Is a Network, and What Are Its Benefits?
A network is a collection of computers who are connected in one place with supporting devices where we can share resource. A network usually has supporting hardware and software to share resources, files, data, and information in one single place. A simple example would be the network in Binus University.

6. How Are the Internet and World Wide Web Used?
The internet and world wide web is used to communicate between one person and another which can be done with various programs like LINE, Skype, and so on. Internet can also be used to access information and news, which are often done to finish a homework, or project. We can also shop online for goods or services. Banks nowadays also offer internet banking service on the internet like BCA. We can also watch entertainment on sites such as YouTube. 

7. How Is System Software Different from Application Software?
A system software is a series of instructions which are related on to another for a common purpose. It tells the computer what actions it should do, and how to perform them. Whereas system software consists of the programs that control the operations of the computer itself, and its devices. There are two types of system software: operating system and utility programs.

8. What Are the Differences among the Types, Sizes, and Functions in the Following Categories: Personal Computers (Desktop), Mobile Computers and Mobile Devices, Game Consoles, Servers, Mainframes, Supercomputers, and Embedded Computers?
A Personal computer, or usually called PC, is a computer that can perform most of the instructions like input, process, and output and storage activities all by itself. A mobile computer is a personal computer which you can carry easily to one place to another and very portable. A mobile device is also like a mobile computer, only small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. A game console is a computing device designed for a one player or even multiplayer games. Servers controls access to its hardware, software and resources on network, and has a storage area for its programs, data, and information. A mainframe is a large, expensive, and powerful computer, which can handle lots and lots of connected users at the same time, and can store tremendous amounts of data. A supercomputer is known as the fastest, most powerful, and expensive computer, usually used in big companies like FBI, etc for applications which are complex, sophisticated and mathematical. An embedded computer is a special purpose computer that functions as a component In a product larger than itself.

9. What Is the Role of Each Element in an Information System?
An information system is the combination of hardware, software, data, people and procedures which can produce information in the most efficient way possible. People in the IT department develop procedures which processes the data. Following the procedures from the people from IT department, people use hardware, and software to enter a data into a computer, which is then processed by the computer and store changes on storage media with the information in a desired form.

 10. How Do the Various Types of Computer Users Interact with Computers?
There are different types of computer users on the planet. A home user is a family member who uses a computer for different reasons: it can be for doing school work, financial management, accessing the internet, or even for entertainment. A small office/home office includes a company with less than 50 employees, where they look up information and use basic business software. Mobile users are people who work on a computer while away from a main office, home office, or school. Power users exist in all types of business like, an enterprise user works in or interacts with a company with lots of employees and uses a computer or computer network powerful enough to process lots of transactions per day.

11. How Does Society Use Computers in Education, Finance, Government, Health Care, Science, Publishing, Travel, and Manufacturing?
Society use computers in education for learning, like online classes, or sometimes help with doing school work. In terms of finance, people can use the computer for doing online banking, or also do online investing online on the internet. The government uses computers to provide the latest information to their own citizens, they also use computers to help them with their work. In health care, computers can be used to store the patients records, monitor them, and deliver medication to nurse stations. They can also be done to store the payment data of the patients. In science, computers are very helpful in storing data, analyzing the data given, modeling the data into a graph, or diagram, and they can be used to communicate with other scientists or researchers around the world. Publishers use computers to assist them in designing pages and they can post their work online too. Transportation use online navigation (GPS) to help people travel more accurately and efficiently. Manufacturers use computer-aided manufacturing to assist with manufacturing processes.

No comments:

Post a Comment