Infotech English for computer users

Transcription

1 Infotech English for computer users Second edition Student s Book Santiago Remacha Esteras

2 PUBLISHED BY THE PRESS SYNDICATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RP, United Kingdom CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 2RU, United Kingdom 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY , USA 10 Stamford Road, Oakleigh, Melbourne 3166, Australia Cambridge University Press 1993, 1999 This book is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published 1993 Second edition 1999 Printed in the United Kingdom at the University Press, Cambridge ISBN Student s Book ISBN Teacher s Guide ISBN Cassette ISBN CD (audio)

3 Contents Map of the book Thanks and Acknowledgements iv viii Section 1 Computers today 1 Unit 1 Computer applications 2 Unit 2 Configuration 7 Unit 3 Inside the system 11 Unit 4 Bits and bytes 17 Unit 5 Buying a computer 21 Section 5 Creative software 92 Unit 20 Graphics and design 93 Unit 21 Desktop publishing 98 Unit 22 Multimedia 102 Section 6 Programming 107 Unit 23 Program design 108 Unit 24 Languages 112 Unit 25 The PostScript revolution 115 Unit 26 Jobs in computing 119 Section 2 Input/output devices 26 Unit 6 Type and click! 27 Unit 7 Capture your favourite image 32 Unit 8 Viewing the output 36 Unit 9 Choosing a printer 40 Unit 10 I/O devices for the disabled 45 Section 7 Computers tomorrow 123 Unit 27 Electronic communications 124 Unit 28 Internet issues 129 Unit 29 LANs and WANs 133 Unit 30 New technologies 138 Section 3 Storage devices 50 Unit 11 Floppies 51 Unit 12 Hard drives 55 Unit 13 Optical breakthrough 59 Section 4 Basic software 64 Unit 14 Operating systems 65 Unit 15 The graphical user interface 69 Unit 16 A walk through word processing 73 Unit 17 Spreadsheets 79 Unit 18 Databases 82 Unit 19 Faces of the Internet 87 Notes for Student A 143 Notes for Student B 147 Glossary 151 Acronyms and abbreviations 158 Trademarks 160

4 Map of the book UNIT LISTENING READING Section 1 1 Computer applications Using computers at work What can computers do? Computers today 2 Configuration Types of computer systems What is a computer? 3 Inside the system Describing a computer What s inside a microcomputer? system Main memory: RAM and ROM 4 Bits and bytes Units of memory: bits, bytes, KB, MB, GB; binary system Bits for pictures 5 Buying a computer Buying a computer in a shop Computers for particular work situations Section 2 6 Type and click! Different input devices About the keyboard Input/output Point and click! (the mouse) devices 7 Capture your favourite Types of scanners What does a scanner do? image Facts and opinions in advertisements 8 Viewing the output Health and safety The monitor 9 Choosing a printer Ink-jet printers Types of printers Adverts for printers 10 I/O devices for Adaptive technology for Computers for the disabled the disabled the blind Section 3 11 Floppies Buying diskettes Types of disks Storage Technical details devices 12 Hard drives Disk fragmentation When buying a hard disk (drive mechanisms) 13 Optical breakthrough What s a CD-ROM? Optical disks and drives iv

5 Unit 29 LANs and WANs Network configurations A network is a group of devices (s, printers, etc.) or nodes connected by communications circuits so that users can share data, programs and hardware resources. A network has two main elements: the physical structure that links the equipment and the software that allows communication. The physical distribution of nodes and their circuits is known as network topology or architecture. The software consists of the protocols, i.e. the rules which determine the formats by which information may be exchanged between different systems. We could say that cables and transceivers (the architecture) allow computers to hear one another, while the software is the language that they use to talk to one another over the network. As regards the cables, they consist essentially of the transceiver the hardware that sends and receives network signals. At present the most widely used transceivers are Token Ring, Ethernet and LocalTalk. Token Ring is the most common method of connecting s and IBM mainframes. Most Token Ring adapters transmit data at a speed of 16 megabits per second. With Ethernet, data is transmitted at 100 Mbits/sec. Ethernet provides a very robust, trouble-free architecture with good levels of performance. In this regard, Ethernet is the best solution for fast and intensive activity. LocalTalk transceivers are the cheapest of all because they are directly included in each Macintosh. However, they re a bit slow, which is why most Macs come with built-in Ethernet. As for protocols, these are rules which describe things like transmission speed and physical interfaces. The Token Ring protocol avoids the possibility of collisions. To transmit data, a workstation needs a token, and as there is only one token per network, holding one guarantees sole use of the network. With Ethernet there are other options, of which TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is perhaps the most useful since it allows different operating systems to communicate with each other. With regard to LocalTalk networks, they use AppleTalk protocols. The Macintosh operating system includes the AppleTalk manager and a set of drivers that let programs on different Macs exchange information. LANs can be interconnected by gateways. These devices help manage communications and control traffic on large networks. They change the data to make it compatible with the protocols of different networks Language work: Prepositional phrases of reference In the sentence As for protocols, these are rules, the expression as for marks the theme of the sentence. Look at the words in the box below and combine them to make nine similar phrases of reference meaning concerning. You can use words more than once. Look back at the text to find some of them. with to in for as on the regard this regards matter reference of respect 134

6 Unit 29 LANs and WANs 5 Writing A The diagram below illustrates the computer connections in three areas of a large company. Read the description of the office area network. Then write similar descriptions of the other two areas. In the office area, the computers are connected in a Token Ring network. Various s have access to a file server, an IBM mainframe, an server and a printer. The file server probably contains application programs like databases, spreadsheets and accounting packages. The mainframe contains large amounts of information about the company, administration work, etc. file server printer Token Ring server mainframe gateway Engineering area (TCP/IP network, connecting UNIX, Macs and s) Desktop publishing area UNIX workstation Ethernet laser printer plotter printer Mac UNIX file server DEC station gateway gateway modem Macs LocalTalk file server scanner external world B If you use a network write a short description of it, with details of its architecture and protocol. Say what you and your colleagues use the network for. 135