6) Modem is an electronic device that makes possible the transmission of data from one computer to another via telephone or other communication lines.
7) The purpose of storage hardware is to store computer instructions and data in a form that is relatively permanent and retrieve them when needed for processing.
Exercise8.7. Give definitions to the following using the vocabulary
1)CPU
2) ROM
3) Floppy-disk
4) CD-ROM
5) Printer
6) Modem
7) Motherboard
8) Hard disk
9) Keyboard
10) Sound-card
Exercise 8.8. Which of the following is Hardware:
1) program
2) mouse
3)CPU
4) printer
5) modem
6) command
7) port
8) cursor or the pointer
9) keyboard
10) character
Exercise 8.9. Match the following:
1) процессор
2) клавиатура
3) мышь
4) дискета
5) «винчестер»
6) модем
7) экран
8) ПЗУ
9) ОЗУ
a) nonvolatile, non-modifiable computer memory, used to hold programmed instructions to the system.
b) the part of a television or computer on which a picture is formed or information is displayed.
c) rigid disk coated with magnetic material, for storing computer programs and relatively large amounts of data.
d) an electronic device that makes possible he transmission of data to or from computer via telephone or other communication lines.
e) a set of keys, usually arranged in tiers, for operating a typewriter, typesetting machine, computer terminal, or the like.
f) volatile computer memory, used for creating, loading, and running programs and for manipulating and temporarily storing data; main memory.
g) central processing unit: the key component of a computer system, containing the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions.
h) a palm-sized device equipped with one or more buttons, used to point at and select items on a computer display screen and for controlling the cursor by means of analogous movement on a nearby surface.
i) a thin, usually flexible plastic disk coated with magnetic material, for storing computer data and program.
Questions for group discussion:
1) Without what parts computer is unable to work?
2) What is the most expensive part of the hardware?
3) What other hardware devices do you know? What are they for? Do you know how to use them?
A computer to complete a job requires more than just the actual equipment or hardware we see and touch. It requires Software — programs for directing the operation of a computer or electronic data.
Software is the final computer system component. These computer programs instruct the hardware how to conduct processing. The computer is merely a general-purpose machine which requires specific software to perform a given task. Computers can input, calculate, compare, and output data as information. Software determines the order in which these operations are performed.
Programs usually fall in one of two categories: system software and applications software.
System software controls standard internal computer activities. An operating system, for example, is a collection of system programs that aid in the operation of a computer regardless of the application software being used. When a computer is first turned on, one of the systems programs is booted or loaded into the computers memory. This software contains information about memory capacity, the model of the processor, the disk drives to be used, and more. Once the system software is loaded, the applications software can be brought in.
System programs are designed for the specific pieces of hardware. These programs are called drivers and coordinate peripheral hardware and computer activities. User needs to install a specific driver in order to activate a peripheral device. For example, if you intend to buy a printer or a scanner you need to worry in advance about the driver program which, though, commonly goes along with your device. By installing the driver you «teach» your mainboard to «understand» the newly attached part.
Applications software satisfies your specific need. The developers of application software rely mostly on marketing research strategies trying to do their best to attract more users (buyers) to their software. As the productivity of the hardware has increased greatly in recent years, the programmers nowadays tend to include as much as possible in one program to make software interface look more attractive to the user. These class of programs is the most numerous and perspective from the
marketing point of view.
Data communication within and between computers systems is handled by system software. Communications software transfers data from one computer system to another. These programs usually provide users with data security and error checking along with physically transferring data between the two computer's memories. During the past five years the developing electronic network communication has stimulated more and more companies to produce various communication software, such as Web-Browsers for Internet.
Vocabulary:
aid — помощь
to attach — присоединять
control — управление
developer — разработчик
equipment — оборудование
general-purpose — общего назначения
internal — внутренний
mainboard — материнская плата
memory capacity — вместимость памяти
peripheral — периферийный
regard — отношение
regardless — несмотря на, безотносительно,
security — безопасность
specific — конкретный, определенный
to boot — загружать
to check — проверять
to complete — совершать, завершать
to conduct — проводить
to develop — развивать, проявлять
to direct — управлять, руководить
to handle — управлять, обращаться с
to install — устанавливать, встраивать, инсталлировать
to provide with — обеспечивать чем-либо
to require — требовать
to secure — обеспечивать безопасность
to transfer — переводить, переносить
Web-browser — «браузер» (программа, позволяющая пользователю искать и считывать информацию с глобальной электронной сети Internet)
General understanding
1. What is software?
2. In what two basic groups software (programs) could be divided?
3. What is system software for?
4. What is an operating system — a system software or application software?
5. What is a «driver»?
6. What is application software?
7. What is application software used for?
8. What is the tendency in application software market in the recent years?
9. What is the application of the communication software?
Exercise 8.10. Which of the following is Software:
1. Program
2. Mouse
3. CPU
4. Word processor
5. Modem
6. Web-browser
7. Operating system
8. Scanner
9. Printer
10. Display
Exercise 8.11. Which of the listed below statements are true/false. Specify your answer using the text:
1) Computer programs only instruct hardware how to handle data storage.
2) System software controls internal computer activities.
3) System software is very dependable on the type of application software being used.
4) The information about memory capacity, the model of the processor and disk drives are unavailable for system software.
5) The driver is a special device usually used by car drivers for Floppy-disk driving.
6) It is very reasonable to ask for a driver when you buy a new piece of hardware.
7) Software developers tend to make their products very small and with poor interface to save computer resources.
8) Communication software is in great demand now because of the new advances in communication technologies.
9) Application software is merely a general-purpose instrument.
10) Web-browsers is the class of software for electronic communication through the network.
Exercise 8.12. Find English equivalents in the text:
1) Программное обеспечение определяет порядок выполнения операций.
2) Прикладные программы выполняют поставленную вами конкретную задачу (удовлетворяют вашу потребность).
3) Этот класс программ — самый многочисленный и перспективный с точки зрения маркетинга.
4) Системные программы предназначены для конкретных устройств компьютерной системы.
5) Устанавливая драйвер, вы <учите» систему «понимать» вновь присоединенное устройство.
6) Когда компьютер впервые включается, одна из системных программ должна быть загружена в его память.
7) Развитие систем электронной коммуникации за последние пять лет стимулировало производство соответствующих программных продуктов возрастающим числом компаний-разработчиков.
Exercise 8.13. Give definitions to the following using the vocabulary:
1) Software
2) Driver
3) Application software
4) Operating system
5) Communication software
6) Computer
7) Peripheral device
8) Operating system
Questions for group discussion:
1) What do you think is more expensive — hardware or software?
2) Has anyone in your group ever purchased software? Why do you think piracy (audio, video, computer software) still exists?
FAMOUS PEOPLE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Babbage, Charles (1792-1871), British mathematician and inventor, who designed and built mechanical computing machines on principles that anticipated the modern electronic computer. Babbage was born in Teignmouth, Devon, and educated at the University of Cambridge. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1816 and was active in the founding of the Analytical, the Royal Astronomical, and the Statistical Societies.
In the 1820s Babbage began developing his Difference Engine, a mechanical device that could perform simple mathematical calculations. Although Babbage started to build his machine, he was unable to complete it because of a lack of funding. In the 1830s Babbage began developing his Analytical Engine, which was designed to carry out more complicated calculations, but this device was never built, too. Babbage's book, «Economy of Machines and Manufactures» (1832), initiated the field of study known today as operational research.
I. Text A: «Operating systems», Text B: «Windows 95»,
Text C: «Internet and WWW»
II. Famous people of science and engineering: Bill Gates.
When computers were first introduced in the 1940's and 50's, every program written had to provide instructions that told the computer how to use devices such as the printer, how to store information on a disk, as well as how to perform several other tasks not necessarily related to the program. The additional program instructions for working with hardware devices were very complex, and time-consuming. Programmers soon realized it would be smarter to develop one program that could control the computer's hardware, which others programs could have used when they needed it. With that, the first operating system was born.
Today, operating systems control and manage the use of hardware devices such as the printer or mouse. They also provide disk management by letting you store information in files. The operating system also lets you run programs such as the basic word processor. Lastly, the operating system provides several of its own commands that help you to use the computer.
DOS is the most commonly used PC operating system. DOS is an abbreviation for disk operating system. DOS was developed by a company named Microsoft. MS-DOS is an abbreviation for «Microsoft DOS». When IBM first released the IBM PC in 1981, IBM licensed DOS from Microsoft for use on the PC and called it PC-DOS. From the users perspective, PC-DOS and MS-DOS are the same, each providing the same capabilities and commands.
The version of DOS release in 1981 was 1.0. Over the past decade, DOS has undergone several changes. Each time the DOS developers release a new version, they increase the version number.
Windows NT (new technology) is an operating system developed by Microsoft. NT is an enhanced version of the popular Microsoft Windows 3.0, 3.1 programs. NT requires a 386 processor or greater and 8 Mb of RAM. For the best NT performance, you have to use a 486 processor with about 16 Mb or higher. Unlike the Windows, which runs on top of DOS, Windows NT is an operating system itself. However, NT is DOS compatible. The advantage of using NT over Windows is that NT makes better use of the PC's memory management capabilities.
OS/2 is a PC operating system created by IBM. Like NT, OS/2 is DOS compatible and provides a graphical user interface that lets you run programs with a click of a mouse. Also like NT, OS/2 performs best when you are using a powerful system. Many IBM-based PCs are shipped with OS/2 preinstalled.
UNIX is a multi-user operating system that allows multiple users to access the system. Traditionally, UNIX was run on a larger mini computers to which users accessed the systems using terminals and not PC's. UNIX allowed each user to simultaneously run the programs they desired. Unlike NT and OS/2, UNIX is not DOS compatible. Most users would not purchase UNIX for their own use.
Windows 95 & 98 (Windows 2000) are the most popular user-oriented operating systems with a friendly interface and multitasking capabilities. The usage of Windows 95 and its enhanced version Windows 98 is so simple that even little kids learn how to use it very quickly. Windows 95 and 98 are DOS compatible, so all programs written for DOS may work under the new operating system.
Windows 95 requires 486 processor with 16 megabytes of RAM or Pentium 75-90 with 40 megabytes of free hard disk space.
Vocabulary:
complex — сложный
to consume — потреблять
consumer — потребитель
to realize — понять, осознать
smart — умный
decade — декада, десятилетие
version — версия
to enhance — увеличивать, расширять
top — верх, вершина
on top of DOS — «сверху», на основе ДОС
are shipped — поставляются
compatible — совместимый
with a click of a mouse — одним щелчком кнопки мыши
access — доступ
to allow — позволять
multiple users — многочисленные пользователи
simultaneously — одновременно
to desire — желать
to ship — поставлять, доставлять
General understanding:
1) What problems faced programmers in the 1940's and 1950's?
2) Why were the first programs «complex» and «time-consuming»?
3) What are the basic functions of operating system?
4) What does the abbreviation DOS mean?
5) What company developed the first version of DOS operating system? For what purpose was it done? Was the new operational system successful?
6) What is the difference between the PC-DOS and MS-DOS
7) What does the abbreviation NT stand for? Is NT DOS-compatible? What are the basic requirements for NT?
8) Who is the developer of OS/2?
9) What makes UNIX so different from the other operational systems?