Consumer products

The Cloud is not all about businesses selling products to other businesses to do more intelligent business. Consumers can now use remote data repositories to store music and movies, much like businesses do for data management. Amazon Kindle is bringing cloud dwellers back to books with thousands of e-books for the platform. Maps and navigation are bundled in leading smart phones of all brands. Consumers can now collaborate over recipes and massage tips alike. The Cloud is bundled in with Web 2.0 products to offer video and image hosting and sharing, social networking and a host of other ubiquitous products and services. The technology is putting into play a network effect. As Metcalfe's law puts it, the value of a network is proportional to the square of the number of connected users, given every user is able to connect to another user. As more users hop on board, the Cloud will continue to become more innovative, more intelligent and much livelier. 

E-commerce

E-commerce, short for electronic commerce, is a business transaction that occurs over an electronic network such as the Internet. Anyone with access to a computer, an Internet connection, and a means to pay for purchased goods or services can participate in e-commerce (Figure).
In the past, e-commerce transactions were conducted primarily using desktop computers. Today, many mobile computers and devices, such as smart phones, also access the Web wirelessly. Some people use the term m-commerce (mobile commerce) to identify e-commerce that takes place using mobile devices.
Popular uses of e-commerce by consumers include shopping, investing, and banking. Users can purchase just about any product or service on the Web. Some examples include groceries, flowers, books, computers, prescriptions, music, movies, cars, airline tickets, and concert tickets. Through online investing, individuals buy and sell stocks or bonds without using a broker.
Three different types of e-commerce are business-to-consumer, consumer-to-consumer, and business-to-business. Business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce consists of the sale of goods and services to the general public. For example,
a B2C Web site. Instead of visiting a computer store to purchase a computer, customers can order one that meets their specifications directly from the Dell Web site.
Customer (consumer) visits an online business through an electronic storefront, which contains product descriptions, images, and a shopping cart. The shopping cart allows the customer to collect purchases. When ready to complete the sale, the customer enters personal data and the method of payment, pref¬erably through a secure Internet connection. Read Looking Ahead 2-2 for a look at the next generation of shopping carts.
Instead of purchasing from a business, consumers can purchase from each other. For example, with an online auction, users bid on an item being sold by someone else. The highest bidder at the end of the bidding period purchases the item. Consumer-to-consumer (C2C) e-commerce occurs when one consumer sells directly to another, such as in an online auction. eBay is one of the more popular online auction Web sites.

Most e-commerce, though, actually takes place between businesses/which is called business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce. Busi¬nesses often provide goods and services to other businesses, such as online advertising, recruiting, credit, sales, market research, technical support, and training. For example, some MasterCard and Visa credit card companies provide corporations with Web-based purchas¬ing, tracking, and transaction downloading capabilities.
As an alternative to entering credit card, bank Some shopping and auction Web sites allow consumers to use an online payment service such as PayPal or Google Checkout. To use an online payment service, you create an account that is linked to your credit card or funds at a financial institution. When you make a purchase, you use your online payment service account, which transfers money for you without revealing your financial information.

What is a file?

What is a file?

A file is a unit of storage. When you want the computer to store items (e.g., data, information, programs, graphics, audio clips, or video clips), it places them in files on storage media such as a hard disk. File sizes vary depending on items being stored. For example, graphics files usually consume more storage space than data files. For more information, visit scsite.com/dc2009/ch2/far and then click Files

Class Presentation Using Computer

Class Presentation   You are a member of your local school district's board of education. During the past year, the number of computers purchased by the district increased by 85 percent, while the supply of library books declined by almost 10 percent. School officials claim that computers extend learning opportuni¬ties and develop the computer literacy needed in today's tech¬nological world. Yet, some parents complain that computer purchases represent frivolous, status-seeking spending. Notebook computers are purchased for teachers, while textbooks and library books are too old, too worn, and too scarce. Analyze how comput¬ers are being used in schools, and then present your recommenda¬tion of the percentage of the instructional materials budget that should be spent on computers versus the percentage that should be spent on library books and textbooks. Note the factors that influenced your decision.

Create and Use Your Own Blog

Create and Use Your Own Blog
A blog can contain any information you wish to place in it. Originally, blogs consisted of Web addresses, so that an individual or group with a specific interest could direct others to useful places on the Web. Today, blogs contain addresses, thoughts, diaries, and anything else a person or group wants to share.
Once you have created a blog, you can update it A variety of services available cm the Web cm help you create and maintain your blog. One widely used service is called Blogger. To create a blog using blogger, complete the following steps:
Start your Web browser, type www.blogger.com in the Address bar, and then
Press the ENTER key to display the Blogger home page (Figure) the CREATE YOUR BLOG NOW arrow on the Blogger home page.
The data required on the 'Create an account' page. Your user name and
CREATE YOUR BLOG NOW arrow  will allow you to change and manage your blog. Your Display name of that will be shown on the blog as the author of the material on the .Many people use their own names, but others use pseudonyms as their mama so that they are not readily identifiable. : the Continue arrow and then enter your Blog title and Blog address. e are the names and addresses everyone will use to view your blog. the Continue arrow to display the 'Choose a template7 screen.

Over the last year, creating a blog on how to make money online has been all the rage.  The problem is that while these blogs start up with a bang, they quietly shrivel up and go away after three months or so.  What happens is that these new writers read a blog about making money online (like John Chow, Problogger, or Shoemoney) and think to themselves, “Hmmm, this looks easy.  I’ll start a blog and make thousands online.”  What looks easy from the surface actually takes alot of long and hard work behind the scenes.

Start and Close a Program Of Computer

A program accomplishes tasks on a computer. You can start any program by using the Start button.
Complete these steps to start the Web browser program called Internet Explorer:

1.Click the Start button (•) at the left of the Windows taskbar on the bottom of the screen to display the Start menu.
2.Click All Programs on the Start menu to display the All Programs.
3.Click the program name, Internet Explorer, in the All Programs list
to open the Internet Explorer browser window (Figure).
An item in the All Programs list might have an open folder icon next to it. When this occurs, click the item and another list will appear. Click the program name in this list to start the program. Some pro¬gram names might appear on the Start menu itself. If so, click any of these names to start the corresponding program.
Below the line on the left side of the Start menu, Windows displays the names of the programs recently opened on the computer. You can start any of these programs by clicking the name of the program.
To close a program, click the Close button (0) in the upper-right comer of the window. If you have created but not saved a document, Windows will ask if you want to save the document. If you do not want to save it, click the No button in the displayed dialog box.
Exercise
1.Using the Start button, start the program named WordPad found in the Accessories list in the All Programs list.WordPad is a word processing program. Type the following: To start a program,   click the program name
in the All Programs  list and then type your name. Click the Print button on the toolbar. Submit the printout to your instructor.
2.Close the WordPad program. If you are asked if you want to save changes to the document, click the No button. Start the WordPad program again, type some new text, and then close the WordPad program. When the dialog box is displayed, dick the Cancel button. What happened? Now, close the WordPad window without saving the document. Submit your answer to your instructor.
3.Using the Start button, start the e-mail program on the computer. What is the name of the e-mail program? In the program window, what menu names are displayed on the menu bar at the top of the window? Close the e-mail program. Submit your answers to your instructor.

Use Of Computer In Science

Science
All branches of science, from biology to astronomy to meteorology, use computers to assist them with collecting, analyzing, and modeling data. Scientists also use the Internet to communicate with colleagues around the world.
Breakthroughs in surgery, medicine, and treatments often result from scientists' use of computers. Tiny computers now imitate functions of the central nervous system, retina of the eye, and cochlea of the ear. A cochlear implant allows a deaf person to listen. Electrodes implanted in the brain stop tremors associated with Parkinson's disease. Cameras small enough to swallow sometimes called a camera pill take pictures inside your body to detect polyps, cancer, and other abnormalities (Figure).
A mural network is a system that attempts to imitate the behavior of the human brain. Scientists create neural networks by connecting thousands of processors together much like the neurons in the brain are connected. The capability of a personal computer to recognize spoken words is a direct result of scientific experimentation with neural networks.

Use Of Computer In Health Care

Health Care 
Nearly every area of health care today uses computers. Whether you are visiting a family doc-tor for a regular checkup, having lab work or an outpatient test, or being rushed in for emergency surgery, the medical staff around you will be using computers for various purposes:
•Hospitals and doctors use computers and mobile devices to maintain and access patient records (Figure
•Computers monitor patients' vital signs in hospital rooms and at home.
•Robots can deliver medication to nurse stations in hospitals.
•Computers and computerized devices assist doctors, nurses, and technicians with medical tests.
•Doctors use the Web and medical software to assist with researching and diagnosing health conditions.
•Doctors use e-mail to correspond with patients.
•Pharmacists use computers to file insurance claims.
•Surgeons implant computerized devices, suchas pace makers, that allow patients to livelonger.
• Surgeons use computer-controlled devices to provide them with greater precision during operations, such as for laser eye surgery and robot-assisted heart surgery.
Many Web sites provide up-to-date medical, fitness, nutrition, or exercise information. These Web sites also maintain lists of doctors and den-tists to help you find the one that suits your needs. They have chat rooms, so that you can talk tp others diagnosed with similar condi¬tions. Some Web sites even allow you to order prescriptions online.
Two forms of long-distance health care are telemedicine and telesurgery. Through telemedicine, health-care professionals in separate locations conduct live conferences on the computer. For example, a doctor at one location can have a conference with a doctor at another loca¬tion to discuss a bone X-ray. Live images of each doctor, along with the X-ray, are displayed on each doctor's computer.
With telesurgery, also called remote surgery, a surgeon performs an operation on a patient who is not located in the same physical room as the surgeon. Telesurgery enables surgeons to direct robots to perform an operation via computers connected to a high-speed network.

Use Of Computer In Government

A government provides society with direction by making and administering policies. To pro­vide citizens with up-to-date information, most government offices have Web sites. People in the United States access government Web sites to file taxes, apply for permits and licenses, pay parking tickets, buy stamps, report crimes, apply for financial aid, and renew vehicle registrations and driver's licenses.

Employees of government agencies use computers as part of their daily routine. North American 911 call centers use computers to dispatch calls for fire, police, and medical assis­tance. Military and other agency officials use the US. Department of Home land Security's net­work of information about domestic security threats to help protect against terrorist attacks. Law enforcement officers have online access to the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NQC) through in-vehicle notebook computers, fingerprint readers, and mobile devices (Figure). The NCIC contains more than 52 million missing persons and animal records, including names, fingerprints, parole/probation records, mug shots, and other information. Read Ethics & Issues for a related discussion.

Uses Of Computer In Finance

Finance
Many people and companies use computers to help manage their finances. Some use finance software to balance checkbooks, pay bills, track personal income and expenses, manage investments, and evaluate financial plans. This software usually includes a variety of online services. For example, computer users can track investments and do online banking. With online banking, users access account bal¬ances, pay bills, and copy monthly transactions from the bank's computer right into their personal computers.

Many financial institutions' Web sites also offer online banking (Figure ). When using a Web site instead of finance software on your computer, all your account information is stored on the bank's computer. The advantage B you can access your financial records from anywhere in the world.
Investors often use online investing to buy and sell stocks and bonds — without using a broker. With online investing, the transaction fee for each trade usually is much less than when trading through a broker.

Use Of Computer In Education

Education is the process of acquiring knowledge. In the traditional model, people learn from other people such as parents, teachers, and employers. Many forms of printed material such as books and manuals are used as learning tools. Today, educators also are turning to computers to assist with education (Figure). Many schools and companies equip labs and classrooms with computers. Some schools require students to have a notebook computer or mobile device to access the school's network or Internet wirelessly. To promote education by computer, many ven¬dors offer substantial student discounts on software.Sometimes, the delivery of education occurs at one place while the learning occurs at other locations. For example, students can take a class oh the Web. Some classes are blended; that is, part of the learning occurs in a class¬room and the other part occurs on the Web. More than 70 percent of colleges offer some type of distance learning classes. A few even offer entire degrees online.

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN SOCIETY
The computer has changed society today as much as the industrial revolution changed society in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
People interact directly with computers in fields such as education, finance, government, health care, science, publishing, travel, and manufacturing. In addition, they can reap the benefits from breakthroughs and advances in these fields. The following pages describe how computers have made a difference in people's interactions with these disciplines. Read Looking Ahead 1-2 for a look at the next generation of computer applications in society.

Large Business Computer User

A large business has hundreds or thousands of employees or customers that work in or do business with offices across a region, the country, or the world. Each employee or customer who uses a computer in the large business is a large business user (Figure).
Many large companies use the words, enterprise computing, to refer to the huge net¬work of computers that meets their diverse computing needs. The network facilitates com¬munications among employees at all locations. Users access the network of servers or main¬frames through desktop computers, mobile computers, and mobile devices.
Large businesses use computers and the computer network to process high volumes of transactions in a single day. Although they may differ in size and in the products or ser¬vices offered, all generally use computers for basic business activities. For example, they bill millions of customers, prepare payroll for thou¬sands of employees, and manage thousands of items in inventory. Some large businesses use blogs to open communications among employees, customers, and/or vendors.

Large businesses typically have e-commerce Web sites, allowing customers and vendors to conduct business online. The Web site also showcases products, services, and other com¬pany information. Customers, vendors, and other interested parties can access this informa¬tion on the Web. Once an order is placed, com¬puters update inventory records to reflect The marketing department in a large business uses desktop publishing software to prepare marketing literature. The accounting department uses software for accounts receiv¬able, accounts payable, billing, general ledger, and payroll activities.
The employees in the information technology (FT) department keep the computers and the network running. They determine when the company requires new hardware or software.
Large business users work with word pro¬cessing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation graphics software. They also may use calendar programs to post their schedules on the net¬work. And, they might use smart phones or mobile devices to maintain contact information. E-mail programs and Web browsers enable communications among employees, vendors, and customers.
Some large businesses place kiosks in public locations. A kiosk is a freestanding computer, usually with a touch screen (Figure). Some kiosks provide information such as maps, while others are interactive, allowing users to place orders, search records, and print tickets.
Many employees of large businesses telecommute. Telecommuting is a work arrangement in which employees work away from a company's standard workplace and often communicate with the office through the computer. Employees who telecommute have flexible work schedules so that they can combine work and personal responsibilities, such as child care.

Small Office/Home Office Use Computer

Computers assist small business and home office users in managing their resources effec-tively. A small office/home office (SOHO) includes any company with fewer than 50 employees, as well as the self-employed who work from home. Small offices include local law practices, accounting firms, travel agencies, and florists. SOHO users typically have a desktop computer to perform some or all of their duties. Many also have smart phones or other mobile devices to manage appointments and contact information.
SOHO users access the Internet — often wirelessly — to look up information such as addresses (Figure), directions, postal codes, flights, and package shipping rates or to make telephone calls. Nearly all SOHO users communicate with others through e-mail.
Many have entered the e-commerce arena and conduct business on the Web. Their Web sites advertise products and services and may pro¬vide a means for taking orders. Small business Web sites sometimes use a Web cam to show the world a live view of some aspect of their business.
To save money on hardware and software, small offices often network their computers. For example, the small office connects one printer to a network for all employees to share. SOHO users often have basic business software such as word processing and spread¬sheet software to assist with document prepara¬tion and finances (Figure). They are likely to use other industry-specific types of software. A candy shop, for example, will have software that allows for taking orders and payments, updating inventory, and paying vendors.

EXAMPLES OF COMPUTER USAGE

Every day, people around the world rely on different types of computers for a variety of applications. To illustrate the range of uses for computers, this section takes you on a visual and narrative tour of five categories of users:
•Home user
•Small office/home office (SOHO) user
•Mobile user
•Power user
•Large business user

Home User
In an increasing number of homes, the computer no longer is a convenience. Instead, it is a basic necessity. Each family member, or home user, spends time on the computer for different reasons that include budgeting and personal financial management, Web access, communications, and entertainment (Figure
 On the Internet, home users access a huge mount of information, conduct research, take college classes, pay bills, manage investments, shop, listen to the radio, watch movies, read books, play games, file taxes, book airline reser-vations, and make telephone calls. They also communicate with others around the world through e-mail, blogs, instant messaging, and chat rooms using personal computers, smart phones, and other mobile devices. Home users stare ideas, interests, photos, music, and videos on social networking Web sites, or online social networks. With a digital camera, home users take photos and then send the elec¬tronic images to others (Figure 1-29). Using a YUb cam, which costs less than $100, home users easily have live video calls with friends, family members, and others.
Many home users have a portable media player, so that they can download music or podcasts, and listen to the music and/or audio at a later time through earphones attached to the player. They also usually have one or more game consoles to play video games individu¬ally or with friends and family members.
Today's homes also typically have one or more desktop computers. Many home users network multiple desktop computers through-out the house, often wirelessly. These small networks allow family members to share an Internet connection and a printer.
To meet their needs, home users have a variety of software. They type letters, home-work assignments, and other documents with word processing software. Personal finance software helps the home user with personal finances, investments, and family budgets. Other software assists with preparing taxes,keeping a household inventory, setting up maintenance schedules, and protecting home computers against threats and unauthorized intrusions (read Ethics & Issues 1-4 for a related discussion).
Reference software, such as encyclopedias, medical dictionaries, or a road atlas, provides valuable information for everyone in the family. With entertainment software, the home user can play games, com-pose music, research genealogy, or create greeting cards. Educational software helps adults learn to speak a foreign language and youngsters to read, write, count, and spell.

EMBEDDED COMPUTERS

An embedded computer is a special-purpose computer that functions as a component in a larger product. Embedded computers are everywhere — at home, in your car, and at work. The following list identifies a variety of everyday products that contain embedded computers.

•Consumer Electronics: mobile and digital telephones, digital televisions, cameras, video recorders, DVD players and recorders,answering machines

•Home Automation Devices: thermostats, sprinkling systems, security monitoring systems, appliances, lights

•Automobiles: antilock brakes, engine control modules, airbag controller, cruise control

•Process Controllers and Robotics: remote monitoring systems, power monitors, machine controllers, medical devices

•Computer Devices and Office Machines: keyboards, printers, faxes, copiers Because embedded computers are components in larger products, they usually are small and have limited hardware. These computers perform various functions, depending on the requirements of the product in which they reside. Embedded computers in printers, for example, monitor the amount of paper in the tray, check the ink or toner level, signal if a paper jam has occurred, and so on. Figure shows some of the many embedded computers

EMBEDDED COMPUTERS

An embedded computer is a special-purpose computer that functions as a component in a larger product. Embedded computers are everywhere — at home, in your car, and at work. The following list identifies a variety of everyday products that contain embedded computers.

•Consumer Electronics: mobile and digital telephones, digital televisions, cameras, video recorders, DVD players and recorders,answering machines

•Home Automation Devices: thermostats, sprinkling systems, security monitoring systems, appliances, lights

•Automobiles: antilock brakes, engine control modules, airbag controller, cruise control

•Process Controllers and Robotics: remote monitoring systems, power monitors, machine controllers, medical devices

•Computer Devices and Office Machines: keyboards, printers, faxes, copiers Because embedded computers are components in larger products, they usually are small and have limited hardware. These computers perform various functions, depending on the requirements of the product in which they reside. Embedded computers in printers, for example, monitor the amount of paper in the tray, check the ink or toner level, signal if a paper jam has occurred, and so on. Figure shows some of the many embedded computers

A supercomputer

A supercomputer is the fastest, most powerful computer — and the most expensive (Figure 1-25). The fastest supercomputers are capable of processing more than 135 trillion instructions in a single second. With weights that exceed 100 tons, these computers can store more than 20,000 times the data and information of an average desktop computer.
Applications requiring complex, sophisticated mathematical calculations use supercomputers. Laige-scale simulations and applications in medicine, aerospace, automotive design, online banking, weather forecasting, nuclear energy research, and petroleum exploration use a supercomputer.

GAME CONSOLES

GAME CONSOLES

A game console is a mobile computing device designed for single-player or multiplayer vid< games (Figure 1-22). Standard game consoles -a handheld controller(s) as an input device(s); a] television screen as an output device; and hard disks, CDs, DVDs, and/or memory cards for age. Weighing on average between two and pounds, the compact size of game consoles L_ them easy to use at home, in the car, in a hotel, any location that has an electrical outlet. Three' popular models are Microsoft's Xbox 360, Nintendo's Wii, and Sony's PlayStation 3.
A handheld game console is small enough to fit in one hand, making it more portable than standard game console. With the handheld game console, the controls, screen, and speakers are built into the device. Because of their reduced the screens are small — three to four inches. Sc~, models use cartridges to store games; others use miniature type of CD or DVD. Many handheld game consoles can communicate wirelessly with other similar consoles for multiplayer gaming. Two popular models are Nintendo DS Lite and Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP).
In addition to gaming, many console models allow users to listen to music, watch movies, and connect to the Internet. Game consoles can cost from a few hundred dollars to more than $500.

Handheld Computer

A handheld  computer,sometimes referred to as an Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC), is a computer small enough to fit in one hand (Figure 1-19). Because of their reduced size, the screens on handheld comput¬ers are small. Many handheld computers com¬municate wirelessly with other devices or computers and also include a digital pen or stylus for input. Similar to a digital pen, a stylus is a small metal or plastic device that looks like a ballpoint pen but uses pres¬sure instead of ink to write, draw, or make selections.
Some handheld computers have minia-ture or specialized key-boards. Many handheld computers are industry-specific and serve the needs of mobile employ¬ees, such as meter readers and parcel delivery people, whose jobs require them to move from place to place.
PDA   A PDA (personal digital assistant) provides personal organizer functions such as a calendar, an appointment book, an address book, a calculator, and a notepad (Figure 1-20). Most PDAs also offer a variety of other appli¬cation software such as word processing, spreadsheet, personal finance, and games. The primary input device of a PDA is a stylus. Some PDAs have a built-in miniature keyboard. If you prefer to type on a PDA that does not have a keyboard, you can insert the PDA in a special separate keyboard. Some PDAs also support voice input, have built-in cameras, and can function as a portable media player.