A word is a computer used to prepare documents

A.
Hardware

As
well as thehardware (=the machines), you also need software
(==programs needed to work the machines). These programs are on
disks, e.g. the hard disk inside the computer, or floppy disk (small
pies of floppy disk) or on CD-ROMs (^Compact Disk Read Only Memory, a
CD on which you can put a large amount information).

B.
Operating a computer Using the mouse,you can do a number
of things by clicking on

different
icons(=moving the mouse to point at different pictures at the
top of the screen

C.
What do people use computer for

A
word processor is a computers used to prepare documents or letters,
or the software that is for this purpose. Many people use their
computers for word processing,e.g. writing letters and
report. A lot of business people use spreadsheets(=a program
which used enter and arrange numbers and financial information) and
database (^program which allow you to store, look at or change a
large amount of information quickly and easily). Some people also use
graphics(= the pictures and symbols a computer program can
produce).

D.
Important vocabulary

More
and more people are becoming computing-literate(=have
experience of working with computers and know how to use them) as
many programs and machines are so user-friendly(=easy to
use).

You
can now connect your computers to computers all over the world using
the Internet(=a system that allows computers to connect using
telephone lines). People send each other e-mail(electronic
mail) messages using this system or network. If you computer
is slow it may need more memory.It may crash (=stop
working) if there is not enough memory or if it has a bug
(=software problem; also a virus).Make sure you make a
back-up copyof your work (=an extra copy on floppy disk).

The history of personal computing

One
of the most important developments leading to the personal computer
revolution was the invention of the semiconductor, or transistor, in
1948. This feat was accomplished by John Bardeen, Walter Brattain,
and William Shockley, who were engineers working at Belt Telephone
Laboratories. The transistor, nothing more than a solid-stale
electronic switch, replaced the much larger vacuum tube and consumed
significantly less power in tube’s job. Thus, a computer system built
with transistors was much smaller and more efficient.

The
tube also could act as a switch but was inefficient in this role. A
tube consumed a great deal of electrical power and gave off enormous
heat.

The
switch to transistors began the trend toward miniaturisation that has
enabled today’s small laptop PC systems, which run on batteries, to
have more computing power than many earlier systems that filled rooms
and consumed huge amounts of electrical power.

In
1959, engineers at Texas instruments figured out how to put more than
one • transistor on the same base material and connect the
transistors without wires. Thus, the integrated circuit, or 1C, was
born. The first 1C contained only six transistors, but the Intel
80386 in many of today’s systems has 280,000. Today, IC can be built
with millions of transistors on-board.

In
1969, a company called Intel made waves in the industry by
introducing a 1 К—
bit memory chip, which was much larger than anything else
available at the time. Because of Intel’s success in chip
manufacturing, the company Japanese-calculator manufacturer called
Busicomp and was asked to produce 12 chips for creation of Busicomp’s
calculator scientific designs. Engineers at Intel took the 12-chtp
design and incorporated all the desired functions and capabilities
into a single» generic» multipurpose chip. This chip was
different from previous designs. The new chip read a variable set of
instructions from memory, which Intel already had been producing. The
concept was to design what was almost an entire computing device on a
single chip. This first microprocessor was the Intel 4004. a 4-bit
microprocessor, introduced in 1971. The successor to the 4004 was the
8008 5-bit microprocessor in 1972.

in
1973, some of the first microcomputer kits based on the 8008 chip
were developed. In late 1973, Intel introduced the 8080
microprocessor, which was 10 time faster than the earlier 8008 chip
and also could have 64 Кof memory.

With
a cover story In the January 1975 issue of Popular Electronics
magazine, a company called MITS introduced the Altair kit, which is
generally considered to be the first personal computer- This kit
included an 8080 processor, a power supply, a front panel with a
great deal of lights, and an enormous 256 bytes ( not kilobytes) of
memory. The kit sold for 5395 and had to be assembled. The new
processor inspired other companies to write programs, including the
CP/M ( Control Program for Microprocessors) operating system and
first version of Microsoftbasic-now
things really started moving. IBM introduced its first»
personal computer» in 1975. The Model 5100 had 16K of memory, a
built-in BASIC language Interpreter, and a built-in cartridge tape
drive for storage. The Mode! 5100 was succeeded by the 5110
and 5120 before IBM introduced the IBM Personal Computer (
which was called the Model 5150).

In
1976, a new company called Apple Computer introduced the Apple I-
This system consisted of a main circuit board screwed onto a piece of
plywood. A case and power supply were not included; the buyer had to
supply them. The Apple I was followed in 1977 by the Apple II. The
Apple II, because of its enormous success, helped to set the
standards for nearly all the microcomputers , including the IBM PC.

In
1980, the microcomputer world was dominated by two main factions of
computers. One faction was the Apple II, which claimed of loyal users
and a gigantic software base that was grow at a fantastic rate. Also
available were ail the systems that had evolved from the original
MITS Altair. These system were compatible with each other and were
distinguished by their use of the CP/M operating system and expansion
slots that followed the S-100 ( for slot with 100 pins) standard.
Although built by a variety of companies and selling under various
names, these systems all were able (for the most part) to use the
same software and plug-in hardware

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b) Computers software (in a computer shop)

— …?

— As well as the hardware (the machines), you also need software (the programs needed to work the machines).

— …?

— These programs are on disks, e.g. the hard disk inside the computer; or floppy disks or on CD-ROMs, a CD on which a large amount of information can be put.

— …?

— A word processor is a computer used to prepare documents or letters, or the software that is used for this purpose. Many people use their computers for word processing; e.g. writing letters and reports.

— …?

— A lot of business people use spreadsheets (a program used to enter and arrange numbers and financial information) and databases(programs which allow you to store, look at or change a large amount of information quickly and easily).

— …?

— Some people also use graphics (the pictures and symbols a computer program can produce).

— …?

— Not only children, but adults as well are addicted to computer games and Internet searching nowadays.

— …?

— More and more people are becoming computer-literate.

— What do you mean by that?

— I mean they have experience of working with computers and know how to use them. Most of them are skilled computer users now.

Dialogue 4.12 Dramatize the dialogue.

Some advice

— What should I do? I don’t know anything about computers at all!

— Don’t be afraid of computers, as many programs and machines are so user-friendly.

— What do you mean by saying ‘user-friendly’?

— I mean easy to use.

— I’ve just purchased a modem, what can it be used for?

— The term ‘ modem ’ (MOdulator-DEModulator) means a device that adapts a terminal or computer to a telephone line. It converts the computer’s digital pulses into audio frequencies (analog) for the telephone system and converts the frequencies back into pulses at the receiving side. The modem also dials the line, answers the call and controls transmission speed, which ranges from 300 to 14,400 bps¹ and higher. You can now connect your computer to computers all over the world using the Internet.

— I have heard very much about it, but I can’t understand how it works.

— In very simple terms I may say that it is a network that allows computers to connect using telephone lines. The user of the computer does not really need to know how computers work, unless they are interested in these workings. All you need to know is how to operate the Front End.

— How can I communicate with the help of the computer?

— Like many other people you may easily send each other e-mailmessages using Internet.

— What does it mean ‘e-mail’?

— It’s electronic mail. There exist also: ‘e-mail address’ or simply ‘e-dress’.

— I’m in a trouble. My computer works so slowly!

— If your computer is slow it may need more memory.

— And what if I don’t add extra memory, what consequences can there be?

— It may crashif there is not enough memory or if it has a bug.

— May you decipher these terms?

— ‘to crash’ is to stop working. ‘A bug’ means either a software problem or a virus.

— How can I save my files?

— Make sure you make a back-up² copyof your work, I mean an extra copy on a floppy disk.

— Thanks a lot.

— You are welcome.

— NB: ¹ bps — Bits Per Second — the measurement of the speed of data transfer in a communications system.² back up — to make a copy of important data onto a different storage medium for safety.

4.13 Add another word, abbreviation, or part of a word, to complete common ‘computer’ words and phrases given below.

soft… / a computer …/ a word… /…-ROM / floppy … / laser … / …-friendly /…-literate / key… / lap… / spread… / -mail / hard… / hard … / …processor / …ware

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