PLS 21 UC Davis midterm 1 studyguide

Why is this Plant Science?

Crop Related Technologies, Data Modeling

Computer Literacy

Technical knowledge and skill in the use of computers and information technology

Information Literacy

The ability to use computers to gather data and/or information

Hardware

The physical components of the computer

i.e. motherboard, case, ram, hard drive, etc...

Software

The applications and programs needed to start, run and perform tasks on your computer

Application Suite

A series of applications that work together to meet a need, or to increase core productivity.

Platform

The operating system or device used for computing

Examples include android phones & tablets, iphones and ipads, MacOS, Linux, Windows7, etc...

Cloud Computing

Productivity tools that support mission critical process through web based applications and storage; The applications and your data are stored remotely on internet servers

Computer: an electronic device that performs four basic operations

Input

Processing

Output

Electronic data storage.

Data Driven Decision Making

"not only by collecting data, but also by how it is used — or not — in making crucial decisions, like whether to create a new product or service."

Application Suites

A group of programs. sold as a package to solve common problems.

there are suites for graphics, mathematics and other applications

most popular/common are "office suites."

AKA "productivity suites,"

a set of basic business programs designed with a uniform user interface and common functions such as spell checking.

The primary programs are word processing, spreadsheet, presentation graphics, database and e-mail

Some of the programs may be for sale as individual products.

Horizontal Application Suites

Are a broad base of various productivity tools

Think of Microsoft Office

Vertical Application Suites

Specialized grouping of software for a specific task

Think of what it would take to track a company's inventory

Copyrighted

A particular company owns the rights to the source code and concepts.

Licensed

1)Often used to allow others to purchase part or all of a source code and to use it within their application.

2)Also, a legal definition included in every applications End User License Agreement (EULA)

3)Registered users only

4)GNU-general public license

Productivity Tools Examples

MS Office

Word Perfect Office (by Corel)

Lotus SmartSuite

Open Office

Each has its benefit

Benefits of Application Suites

-Bundled Price is generally reasonable

-Integrated products work well together Ex. Adobe Photoshop and Adobe ...

-Common User Interface (CUI)

Easy to switch from one program to another and know where things are!

When was the typewriter invented?

By E. Remington and Sons in 1873

'word processor '

refers to an obsolete type of stand-alone office machine

popular in the 1970s and 80s

combined the keyboard text-entry and printing functions of an electric typewriter

with a way to record and edit text.

special computers designed just for creating text (reports)

employees required special training to use

Some could save very small documents for later recall

Software Categories

1-Commercial

Must purchase to use legally

2-Shareware

Freely available to use for a while

Similar to a trial version

3-Freeware

Freely available to use

Copyrighted

4-Open Source

Source code is freely available

Covered by GNU

Modifiable if desired

Usable with credit

Examples of Software Applications

Open Office Writer

Microsoft Word

GoogleApps Document

Word Perfect

When was MS Word first released?

1983 under the name Multi-tool Word, later versions were written for other platforms including MS Windows in 1989; can be sold alone or in a suite; current versions are 2011(mac) and 2010(windows)

What is the MS word extension?

.DOC

Easter Eggs

are small, undocumented procedure in a program

normally expresses interesting commentaries, or

gives credit to the people who labored over the program.

Useful tools in word

Frames(spacing and formatting), Styles (uniformity, structure, automated tasks), Rulers and tabs, Table of contents and Breaks, Header, Footer, Page number, mail merge, macro

EndNote

standard software tool for publishing and managing bibliographies, citations and references on the Windows and Mac desktop

End User License Agreement (EULA)

Defines how the application may be used

Commercial

Must purchase to use legally

,

Shareware

Freely available to use for a while, Similar to a trial version

Freeware

Freely available to use,Copyrighted

Open Source

1)Source code is freely available

2)Covered by GNU

3)Modifiable if desired

4)Usable with credit

Why were spreadsheets invented?

In order to make word processors appear to be bug-free in comparison

Productivity Tools for spreadsheet

Open Office - Calc - Free

Lotus 1-2-3 - Commercial

Microsoft Excel - commercial

Google Apps - Free/Cloud

What is a spreadsheet?

A program that mimics a paper ledger

Consists of a grid (or table)

Makes number manipulation easy

Automatically links values and formulas

While it may take a bit of time to setup a spreadsheet for a given task, it often saves time in the long run

Also can be used to organize information to be loaded into a database

What was the first spreadsheet program for personal computers?

VisiCalc, then SuperCalc, MultiPlan, Lotus 1-2-3, and lApple Works

When was MS Excel introdused to Mac and Windows?

Mac in 1985, and Windows in 1987--lacked a patent

Key Elements of Spreadsheets

1)Cells: contain the data

2)Rows: horizontally aligned cells

3)Columns: vertically aligned cells

4)Sheet or worksheet: a single page

5)Workbook: a file with multiple sheets

6)Formula: calculates using specific cells

7)Function: used to perform mathematical or logical operations

8)Range: Data location across multiple cells

9)Syntax: The "language" of a function

In Excel, columns are ___ and rows are ___

vertical/letters, horizontal/numbers

Key Formulas in Excel

Sum, Avg., Hyperlink

Cell Reference

copies the values or data from one cell to another

If statement

logical comparison

Pivot Tables

a data summarization tool found in data visualization programs such as spreadsheets or business intelligence software.

Pivot Tables Functions

automatically sort, count, total or give the average of the data stored in one table or spreadsheet; shows results in a separate table

Quick formatting in Excel- shortcut key

Ctrl +1

Fractions in excel

preface it with a zero first off, or it is unusable or turned into a date

Charts are a _____means to represent______?

efficient, visual data???

What is a Computer?

A computer is a machine that can be programmed to manipulate symbols. Its principal characteristics are:

It responds to a specific set of instructions in a well-defined manner.

It can execute a prerecorded list of instructions (a program).

It can quickly store and retrieve large amounts of data.

Hardware

Physical components--CPU, RAM, Input devices (mouse or keyboard, Output device (monitor, display, printer)

Software is..

Instructions and Data

Central processing unit (CPU)

The heart of the computer, this is the component that actually executes instructions organized in programs ("software") which tell the computer what to do.

Memory (fast, expensive, short-term memory)

Enables a computer to store, at least temporarily, data, programs, and intermediate results.

Mass storage device (slower, cheaper, long-term memory)

Allows a computer to permanently retain large amounts of data and programs between jobs. Common mass storage devices include disk drives and tape drives.

Input device

Usually a keyboard and mouse, the input device is the conduit through which data and instructions enter a computer.

Output device

A display screen, printer, or other device that lets you see what the computer has accomplished.

PLC

he PLC was developed as a more streamlined, flexible, and reliable alternative to switch boxes and relay panels (Hard Wiring) (factory conditions)

Arduino

A computer with eyes and ears, senses

Supercomputers

fastest, most expensive, and largest type of computers--large scale research--Cray Research--few programs super fast

Mainframes

scale downed computers, used by banks and airlines 1960s to 70s--suports maybe hundreds or thousands of users, many programs concurrently

Mini comp

smaller main frames, midsize, used by universities, up to 200 users

Microcomputer

-It can be defined as a small, relatively inexpensive computer designed for an individual user.

-In price, personal computers range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars.

-A CPU in a chip

-Macs and PCs are popular

Parts of a computer

Back planes and Motherboards

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Memory (Random Access Memory - RAM)

Graphics Card

Hard Drive

Integrated Peripherals

Expansion Slots

Backplane

Backplanes hold/interconnect several boards together.

It's primary function is to deliver power and data communication between them;Backplanes may have some involvement with I/O devices.

Motherboard

A motherboard does the same, and sometimes more, at lower levels connecting inter-chip communication; Boards generally have to have a common interface.

Power Supply

Turn on and off with signal from the mother board

RAM

1)Random-access memory is a form of computer data storage.

2)A random-access memory device allows data items to be accessed (read or written) in almost the same amount of time irrespective of the physical location of data inside the memory.

3)RAM is normally associated with volatile types of memory, where stored information is lost if power is removed

4) Takes form of integrated circuits

Graphics Card

-A video card is an expansion card which generates a feed of output images to a display (such as a computer monitor).

-As an alternative to the use of a video card, video hardware can be integrated into the motherboard or the CPU.

-The main advantages of integrated graphics include cost, compactness, simplicity and low energy consumption.

-The performance disadvantage of integrated graphics arises because the graphics processor shares system resources with the CPU.

-A dedicated graphics card has its own random access memory (RAM), its own cooling system, and dedicated power regulators, with all components designed specifically for processing video images.

Hard Drives

-The traditional spinning hard drive (HDD) is the basic nonvolatile storage on a computer.

-Hard drives are essentially metal platters with a magnetic coating.

-An SSD does much the same job functionally as an HDD, but instead of a magnetic coating on top of platters, the data is stored on interconnected flash memory chips that retain the data even when there's no power present.

Integrated Peripherals

This includes serial and parallel ports, as well as audio, LAN, and USB ports.

On board Video Card - usually VGA port on the computer

USB Ports

Audio Ports

PS/2 Ports

The Operating System

is the first software you see

when you turn on the computer, and

the last software you see

when you turn the computer off.

What does an operating system do?

1)They manage the hardware and software resources of the computer system.

2)They provides a stable, consistent environment for applications to deal with the hardware without having to know all the details of hardware (interface, drivers).

3)The operating system mediates interactions among both internal and external components.

4)The operating system acts as a traffic cop, a translator, and a resource manager.

Functions of an Operating System

-Handles Input and Output ( I/O )

-Establishes the User Interface

-Manages Programs

-Manages Memory (delegates memor y to certain things and systems)

-Device drivers

-Controls interactions between hardware and software

Examples of Operating Systems

UNIX, Mac, DOS, Window XP, Windows 7, Linux

Loading the OS

An operating system must already be loaded into memory in order for THE OS to be loaded into memory

Boot loader

Program that loads the OS when comp. is turned on

Deterministic systems

Not all computers have an OS, ex. Microwave

Simplest OS is needed when...

Each operation is similar with respect to Importance of operation,Length of data string exchanged, Duration of exchange, Cycles of computation, and Sequence of operation

Non-Desterministic systems

when the operations are of variable duration, are of variable importance, require variable computing cycles, and need variable amounts of memory-->Then a more complicated Operating System is needed

The heart of a modern Operating System ...

is the kernel, or that portion of the OS that oversees all other operations

(The Task Manager).

Storage

refers to memory that persists after the computer is turned off (non-volatile). Storage devices include hard drives, flash drives, floppy disks and magnetic tape.

ROM - Read-only memory

In this type of storage, data is pre-recorded and can only be read (e.g., BIOS); it can not be removed. ROM is non-volatile and retained when the computer off.

Memory

Disappears when comp. is turned off

RAM is usually used ...

for primary storage in computers to hold active information such as data and programs.

Single-task

Run one program at a time

Multi-tasking

Run more than one program at a time;

Active program (Foreground application)

Inactive program (Background application)

Multi-threading

do more than one thing at a time (e.g., loading and printing);The CPU can only do one thing at a time.

The operating system has to switch between different processes thousands of times a second.

A process occupies a certain amount of RAM. It also makes use of the CPU and operating-system memory space.

The operating system allots a certain of CPU time

Multi-processing

more than one CPU running at the same time (e.g., Quad core)

Each process...

may cause several other processes to begin and run without giving you direct evidence that they ever exist (they are in the background).

User Interface Types

1)Command-Line 2)Menu-Driven 3)

Command-Line

syntax is important, has keywords and requires lots of typing; e.g., DOS

Menu-Driven

text based, pick items from a list using arrow keys and Enter.

Graphical (GUI)

uses icons, mouse to point and click on items; e.g., Mac, Windows

Popular OS

UNIX - client/server computing

many different flavors

DOS - one of first for the PC, crashes often,

uses only 640K of RAM at a time

Mac OS - the first popular GUI

Windows - GUI for the PC

Android - light version for tablets & Smartphones

Linux - a flavor of UNIX open source code free!

Cache Memory...

.... stores the most recent data the CPU has accessed from RAM and is also volatile.

... is faster and more expensive than RAM

Level-2 ... increases the performance of data communication between CPU and RAM.

The more ... the better for the CPU

Von-Neumann cycle (Instructions in the CPU):

1) Fetch 2)Decode 3)Fetch operands 4)Execute 5)Update instruction counter

Circuit switching

-A physical and continuous circuit is established before, and maintained during communication

-In modern circuit-switched networks, electronic signals pass through several switches before a connection is established. And during a call, no other network traffic can use those switches.

Packet switching

-The individual parts (packets) of a message can take different paths from the source to the recipient where they are reassembled.

- Packet-switched networks move data in separate, small blocks -- packets -- based on the destination address in each packet. When received, packets are reassembled in the proper sequence to make up the message.

Packet switching is ...

great for data, cheap and efficient

Circuit switching is...

great for voice and video, teleconferencing--minimal dropped packets/no latency

Network topology

refers to the physical layout of the network.. examples:

Point to Point

Bus

Token Ring

Hub/Switch

What is the main network topology used today?