Third_Handout_IT141 Page | 1 ALL THINGS DIGITAL. Everything is evolving to being digital. - Telephone, radio, etc Convergence – process by which several technologies with different functionalities evolve to form a single product. Eg. Cellphones – it has overlapping features Why does convergence take so long? - Technology sometimes outstrips society’s ability to deal with it. - Laws and customs change slowly SECTION A: DIGITAL SOCIETY How does DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY affect freedom & democracy? - “freedom of expression/speech is NOT absolute; hate, violence, porn - Makes it easy to cross cultural & geographical boundaries (TV, News etc) - Anonymizer tools; cloaks person’s identity - Internet Info acceptable in some cultures may not be in others There are a lot of attempts made to censor & filter speech on the internet Has DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY changed the way we view privacy? - Diminish privacy How does DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY influence property? Intellectual property: ownership of certain types of information, ideas or presentations What effect does Digital Technology have on economy? - Consumers access a wide variety of products - Gap between people who have access to digital technology and those that do not Learning and understanding Digital Technology makes us aware of issues related to privacy, security, freedom of speech and intellectual property.
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Third_Handout_IT141
Page | 1
ALL THINGS DIGITAL.
Everything is evolving to being digital.
- Telephone, radio, etc
Convergence – process by which several technologies with different functionalities evolve to form a
single product.
Eg. Cellphones – it has overlapping features
Why does convergence take so long?
- Technology sometimes outstrips society’s ability to deal with it.
- Laws and customs change slowly
SECTION A: DIGITAL SOCIETY
How does DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY affect freedom & democracy?
- “freedom of expression/speech is NOT absolute; hate, violence, porn
- Makes it easy to cross cultural & geographical boundaries (TV, News etc)
- Anonymizer tools; cloaks person’s identity
- Internet Info acceptable in some cultures may not be in others
There are a lot of attempts made to censor & filter speech on the internet
Has DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY changed the way we view privacy?
- Diminish privacy
How does DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY influence property?
Intellectual property: ownership of certain types of information, ideas or presentations
What effect does Digital Technology have on economy?
- Consumers access a wide variety of products
- Gap between people who have access to digital technology and those that do not
Learning and understanding Digital Technology makes us aware of issues related to privacy, security,
freedom of speech and intellectual property.
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SECTION B: DIGITAL DEVICES
Computer Basics
What is a computer?
- Electronic, digital multipurpose device that accepts input, process data, stores data and
produces output, all according to a series of stored instructions.
What is input?
- Whatever is submitted or transmitted to a computer system
What is output?
- Result produced by a computer
What does computer data mean?
- SYMBOLS that represent facts, objects & ideas
What does process data mean?
- Manipulation of data (this includes modigying)
Where does processing take place?
- Central Processing Unit (CPU)
What is CPU?
- It is a microprocessor. A microprocessor is an electronic component/part that can be
programmed to perform/do tasks based on the data it receives
- It is also known as the process or the BRAIN of a digital device.
How do computers store data?
- Most computers use more than one place to put data. MEMORY – area that temporarily holds
data (waiting to be processed, stored or output). STORAGE – area where data can be left on a
permanent basis.
- Data is stored in FILES. FILE – named collection of data that exists on a storage medium.
- STORAGE MEDIUM – hard disks, floppy disks, DVD, CD, Flash drive etc.
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What’s so significant/important about a computer’s ability/power to store instructions?
The series of instructions that tells a computer how to carry out processing task is called a COMPUTER
PROGRAM or PROGRAM. Programs form SOFTWARE. When a computer runs software, it
performs/does the instructions to carry out a task.
Why do we store programs in a computer?
Stored programs can be loaded into the computer’s memory, and replaced when the computer
performs another task. This makes computers multipurpose machines.
What kinds of software do computer run?
Two main types
i. Application Software – set of computer programs that helps a person/user carry out a task
Example – Microsoft Office
ii. System Software – set of computer programs that help the computer system monitor itself
in order to function efficiently.
Example – Operating System (master controller for all activities that take place within a
computer. It helps us indirectly by starting programs and locating data files.
Are computer categorized?
- Nowadays, they are grouped according to criteria such as usage, cost, size and capability.
Experts do not necessarily agree on the categories or the devices placed in each category, but
commonly used computer categories include
i. Personal computers
ii. Servers
iii. Mainframes
iv. supercomputers
What is a personal computer?
- Microprocessor-based computing device designed to meet the computing needs of an
individual. They are available as desktop or portable models.
What is a workstation?
-
- – ordinary computer that is connected to a network. Second meaning – powerful desktop
computer used for high-performance tasks, that require a lot of processing speed. Some