Exercises

Ex.1

Answer the questions:

1. What is CD-ROM?

2. Why is it possible to store the large amount of information on CDs?

3. How can the information be compressed?

4. What device reads the information written on the disk?

5. What is done to provide from CD-ROM piracy?

6. What is SID?

7. What are the main data formats?

Ex.2

Study the sentences. Use the dictionary to find out what the italicized words mean.

1. The CD-ROM is a non-volatile optical data storage medium.

2. CD-RW disks contain phase-change material.

3. Data compressing technology allows larger capacities to the CDs.

4. A 32x CD-ROM drive uses a ball bearing system to balance the spinning disk in the drive to reduce the noise.

5. CD-ROM drivers are now-common computer peripheral.

6. Constant angular velocity drives give speed up to 20x.

7. The bootable CD specification makes a CD emulate the hard disk or floppy.

Ex.3

Decide whether the statements are true or not. Correct the wrong once.

1. __ The CD-ROM Yellow Book standard was established in 1981 by Microsoft.

2. __ CDs can either be printed or typed.

3. __ Pits are pressed into a lower surface of a plastic disk.

4. __ A DVD-ROM can contain ten times less data as a CD-ROM.

5. __ Most CD-ROM drives can also play audio CDs.

6. __ There is only one format used for CD-ROM data.

7. __ 20x is the maximum speed for the CD-ROM.

Server hardware

A server computer shares its resources, such as peripherals and file storage, with the users' computers, called clients, on a network. It is possible for a computer to be a client and a server simultaneously, by connecting to itself in the same way a separate computer would.

Many new devices now come with server capabilities. The X-Internet, Web Services, and Microsoft's .NET initiative all work to make even the smallest system a server.

Many large enterprises employ numerous servers to support their needs. A collection of servers in one location is often referred to as a server farm. It is possible to configure the machines to distribute tasks so that no single machine is overwhelmed by the demands placed upon it (called load balancing), and this is often done for hosts that expect tremendous amounts of activity. The terminology can be even more confusing in this case because the client (or user) will connect to a remote host to access the server application, and that server application may need to access other server software and/or another server machine.

Computer hardware

Every information system has five parts: hardware; software; people; control; and data.

There are two major components of a computer system: hardware and software. Hardware is a physical equipment, i.e. the machinery and electronic components.

The computer hardware devices handle the input, processing, storage, transmission, and output of data.

Input devices are those through which the properly prepared pieces of information known as data are put into the computer. Data are facts and figures.

The output devices are those, which carries the results of the processing operations from the central processing unit to the user.

The results are made available to the user (output). The combination of these tasks is known as data processing.

The central processing unit is the heart and brain of the system where all the operations for which a computer is used are conducted.

The most common input device is the keyboard.

Output devices return the processed data to the users. Most computers today use both video monitors and printers for output. The various types of printers are distinguished primarily by their speed and the print quality they offer.

Computers have more than one level of storage. Main memory also called random access memory (RAM) or primary storage, is built into the processor unit and provides fast , addressable, random access to its contents. Main memory storage holds the data currently being operated on together with the programmed instructions for performing those operations. For example, during execution of a payroll programs, one employee’s data at a time are usually loaded into main memory. When that employee’s data have been processed, another employee’s data will be loaded, and so forth.

Secondary storage provides for more permanent storage of data and software not immediately in use. While the payroll is being processed, an accounts receivable program or an inventory file may reside in secondary storage. Now the most popular medium is magnetic disk. Several types of magnetic disk are available, ranging from small diskettes to large fixed-disk or hard-disk units. All magnetic disk media offer random access to the data; that is, the computer can retrieve data from anywhere on the magnetic surface of the disk, without having to search through other records.

Vocabulary

Hardware – апаратне забезпечення

Software – програмне забезпечення

Data - дані

Physical equipment – фізичне обладнання

Electronic components – електронні компоненти

To handle - виконувати

Input - введення

Processing - обробка

Storage - зберігання

Transmission - передача

Output - вивід

Central processing unit – центральний процесор

Random access memory – оперативний запам’ятовуючий пристрій

Motherboard – материнська плата

Basic input-output system – базова система вводу-виводу

To conduct - виконувати

To provide - забезпечувати

Capability – здатність.

Computers have more than one level of storage. Main memory also called random access memory (RAM) or primary storage, is built into the processor unit and provides fast , addressable, random access to its contents. Main memory storage holds the data currently being operated on together with the programmed instructions for performing those operations. For example, during execution of a payroll programs, one employee’s data at a time are usually loaded into main memory. When that employee’s data have been processed, another employee’s data will be loaded, and so forth.

Secondary storage provides for more permanent storage of data and software not immediately in use. While the payroll is being processed, an accounts receivable program or an inventory file may reside in secondary storage. Now the most popular medium is magnetic disk. Several types of magnetic disk are available, ranging from small diskettes to large fixed-disk or hard-disk units. All magnetic disk media offer random access to the data; that is, the computer can retrieve data from anywhere on the magnetic surface of the disk, without having to search through other records.

A n input device is any hardware device that sends data to the computer, without any input devices, a computer would only be a display device and not allow users to interact with it, much like a TV.

Below is a complete listing of all the different computer input devices that can be used on a computer.

• Barcode reader

• Digital camera

• Gamepad

• Joystick

• Keyboard

• Microphone

• MIDI (Short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface)keyboard

• Mouse (pointing device)

• Remote

• Scanner

• Webcam

Devices Mouse Trackball Joystick Touch screen Light pen Microphone A camera Paddle MIDI Remote Optical scanner

Description Pointing device that works by sliding box-like devices on flat surface. Selections are made by clicking button on the mouse

Pointing device that works by rolling a ball that sit in a holder. Select ones are made by pressing buttons-located near or on the holder

Pointing device that works by moving a small stick that sit in the holder. Selections are made by pressing buttons-located near or on the holder

Pointing device that works by using a touch sensitive computer display. Selections are made by touching the display

Pointing device that works by placing a ball-light device near a computer screen. Selections are made by pressing the pen in the screen

Audio can be digitized and voice can be input to the computer by using Microphone, Speech recognition, and Voice-to-text software or we can copy from another device.

Lines of different widths and sizes representing data, that when read will determine what the scanned object is. Barcodes are often used to help organize and index information or prices about an object.

Digital camera

that stores the pictures or video it takes in electronic format instead of to film.

More commonly known as a game paddle or gamepad, a paddle is an input device commonly used with games that may contain various buttons used to steer and utilize different options in a game. All console game systems utilize a paddle or gamepad for control.

is a standard for digitally representing and transmitting sounds that was first developed in the 1980s. The MIDI sound is played back through the hardware device or computer either through a synthesized audio sound or a waveform stored on the hardware device or computer. The quality of how MIDI sounds when played back by the hardware device or computer depends upon that device's capability.

1. When referring to a connection a remote connection or to connect remotely is another way of saying remote access.

A hardware device that allows a user to control a device or object in another location.

Hardware input device that allows a user to take an image or text and convert it into a digital file, allowing the computer to read or display the scanned object. A scanner is commonly connected to a computer USB, Firewire, Parallel or SCSI port.