Text 3 business world ― company of the month: microsoft

It is fitting to choose Microsoft as our company of the month because it is celebrating its 25th anniversary. It is strange to think that one of the richest and most powerful businesses in the world is only 25 years old.

But the story of Microsoft is not just unusual for its rapid success. In the past great fortunes have been made by making things which people wanted to buy. Microsoft does not make things – well not things which you can touch and see. Microsoft makes and sells ideas.

The beginning

Early in 1975 Bill Gates and his friend Paul Allen, both undergraduates at Harvard University, ordered a 'personal computer' called the MITS Altair 600 from Popular Electronics magazine. When it arrived they had to assemble the different parts and try to make it work.

In less than one month, Bill and Paul had written their first computer language, BASIC, and sold it to the manufacturer MITS. One month later, Paul Allen was appointed Director of Software at MITS.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen formed a partnership under the name Microsoft.

By July 1975, they had already developed version 2.0 of their BASIC software.

Two years later, Microsoft published its second computer language, which was called FORTRAN-80, and by the end of 1978 Microsoft's annual sales were more than $1 million US dollars.

MS- DOS

For the next few years, Microsoft produced further computer languages including COBOL and Pascal, but their big breakthrough came in 1981 with Microsoft MS-DOS, the disk operating system used by the new IBM PCs (personal computers). In 1983, we saw the first Microsoft word processing program, Microsoft Word. In the same year Microsoft announced Windows, an extension of MS-DOS which provided a graphical 'point and click' operating environment similar to the one developed by Steve Jobs for the Apple Macintosh computers.

Even though the early version of Windows did not work very well, most computer users were happy with MS-DOS. By 1985, Microsoft was celebrating its tenth anniversary and annual sales of $140 million.

When shares in Microsoft became publicly available in March 1986 they raised $61 million.

The following year, Microsoft Excel, a spreadsheet package for Windows was published.

However, the basic Windows software was still having problems. These were not resolved until 1990 when Microsoft Windows 3.0 became available. In the same year Microsoft sales reached $1.18 billion.

Over the following years, Microsoft continued to grow. By 1993 10 million people around the world were using Microsoft Word in its various versions.

In 1993 we saw the first Multimedia Encyclopedia, Microsoft Encarta, produced on CD ROM.

Microsoft continued to develop new applications software including the internet browser called Internet Explorer.

Microsoft's critics

Many people in the computer world have pointed out that Microsoft have never been great innovators in software. Most of their best products have been developed from ideas created by others. The success of the company, they say, has been based on the public's need to use common software and Microsoft has frequently had to defend its business practices in the US courts.

Penguindossiers com.

Text 4

GENERAL FEATURES OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

1. Before you read the text, try to answer the following questions:

1. What is an operating system and what is its purpose?

2. Where is an operating system stored and how is it transferred to internal memory?

3. List some of the tasks typically performed by an operating system.

2. Read the text and answer these questions.

1. Why is it important to assess the operating system on a computer before buying it?

2. What is multiprogramming?

3. The text gives some Examples of real-time processing. Can you think of some examples of batch-processing?

An operating system is a master control program which controls the functions of the computer system as a whole and the running of application programs. All computers do not use the same operating systems. It is therefore important to assess the operating system used on a particular model before initial commitment because some software is only designed to run under the control of specific operating systems. Some operating systems are adopted as “industry standards” and these are the ones which should be evaluated because they normally have a good software base. The reason for this is that software houses are willing to expand resources on the development of application packages for machines functioning under the control of an operating system which is widely used. The cost of software is likely to be lower in such circumstances as the development costs are spread over a greater number of users, both actual and potential.

Mainframe computers usually process several application programs concurrently, switching from one to the other, for the purpose of increasing processing productivity. This is known as multiprogramming (multi-tasking in the context of microcomputers), which requires a powerful operating system incorporating work scheduling facilities to control the switching between programs. This entails reading in data for one program while the processor is performing computations on another and printing out results on yet another. In multi-user environments an operating system is required to control terminal operations on a shared access basis as only one user can access the system at any moment of time. The operating system allocates control to each terminal in turn. Such systems also require a system for record locking and unlocking, to prevent one user attempting to read a record whilst another user is updating it, for instance. The first user is allocated control to write to a record (or file in some instances) and other users are denied access until the record is updated and unlocked.

Some environments operate in concurrent batch and real-time mode. This means that a “background” job deals with routine batch processing whilst the “foreground” job deals with real-time operations such as airline seat reservations, on-line booking of hotel accommodation, or control of warehouse stocks, etc. The real-time operation has priority, and the operating system interrupts batch processing operations to deal with real-time enquiries or file updates. The stage of batch processing attained at the time of the interrupt is temporarily transferred to backing storage. After the real-time operation has been dealt with, the interrupted program is transferred back to internal memory from backing storage, and processing recommences from a “restart” point. The operating system also copies to disk backing storage the state of the real-time system every few minutes (periodic check points) to provide a means of “'recovering” the system in the event of a malfunction.

An operating system is stored on disk and has to be booted into the internal memory (RAM) where it must reside throughout processing so that commands are instantly available. The operating system commands may exceed the internal memory capacity of the computer in which case only that portion of the OS which is frequently used is retained internally, other modules being read in from disk as required. Many microcomputers function under the control of a disk operating system known as DOS.

3. Here is a list of typical tasks performed by an operating system. In each case the main verb has been omitted. Fill in the blanks from the words given. Sometimes more than one may apply.

Execute  monitor  format  diagnose

A typical operating system will

1 _____________________ input and output devices.

2 _____________________ the status of hardware devices.

3 _____________________ hardware interrupts.

4 _____________________ new disks.

5 _____________________ disk directories.

6 _____________________ disk reading and writing operations.

7 _____________________ disk errors.

8 _____________________ disk commands relating to the deletion, copying, renaming,

and dumping of files.

3. Match these common DOS commands with the appropriate explanation.

BACKUP CHDIR or CD CHKDSK CLS DEL DIR:SORT REN TYPE FIND DISKCOPY

searches for a specific string of text in a file. allows a text file from the current directory to be displayed on screen. allows the user to change the name of a file. saves the contents of the hard disk to a floppy disk for security purposes. is used when it is necessary to change the current directory. clears data from the screen. alphabetically sorts and lists a disk directory. makes back-up copies of the contents of one disk to another. deletes a specified file from the current directory, specified drive, or specified path. produces a status report of the currently logged-on disk. indicating the amount of disk space used, the available capacity (in bytes), and the number of files on disk.

3. Word-play. Find the hidden words in this square. Some appear vertically, some horizontally, and some diagonally. They may be upside-down or back to front. Use the clues below to help you. The number of letters in each word and the first letter of the word appear in brackets after the clue. The first one has been done for you.

Find words which mean:

1. a computer that is small enough to hold in the hand (7, P)

2. an electronic pen (6, S)

3. to erase or omit (6, D)

4. one type of portable computer which operates with an electronic pen (9, C)

5. the information that the computer processes (4, D)

6. a network of lines crossing at right angles (4, G)

7. a signal to a processor to suspend temporarily the current sequence of instructions (9,I)

8. a pattern used as a guide for creating letters or characters (8, T)

9. an individual dot on a computer screen (5, P)

C	T	A	A	R	I	T	P	L	R
L	P	N	T	P	I	D	A	E	E
I	U	E	A	E	E	B	L	X	T
P	R	T	D	L	A	F	M	I	E
B	R	E	E	S	N	O	T	P	M
O	E	T	G	R	I	D	O	T	P
A	E	C	V	K	L	M	P	Y	L
R	N	D	S	T	Y	L	U	S	A
D	E	L	V	E	I	Y	S	T	T
T	P	U	R	R	E	T	N	I	E

Oxford English for Computing

Text 5

WINDOWS 2000

1. Read the text and match a heading to a paragraph.

• Ready for the Internet

• Fast, secure and reliable

• What’s Windows 2000?

• Built-in support for new devices

• Easy to use

1 .........................................................................

Microsoft Windows® 2000 is the operating system for the next generation of PCs. It offers a user-friendly interface, NT technology, integrated web capabilities, and support for mobile computers and new devices. There are two main Windows systems: Windows 2000 Professional for desktops and laptops, and Windows 2000 Server family for networks, web servers and high-performance workstations.

2 .........................................................................

Windows 2000 includes a built-in safeguard called Windows File Protection, which prevents core system files from being deleted or changed by users or applications. If a system file is altered, this feature repairs that file avoiding many system crashing found in previous versions.

Windows 2000 is 25 percent faster than Windows 9x on systems with 64 MB and lets you run more programs and do more tasks at the same time than previous versions. It protects your hard drive by using encryption and decryption systems. It also supports Kerberos, an Internet standard which protects corporate networks or intranets.

3 .........................................................................

The graphical user interface has been improved. You can personalise the Start menu and display applications you use most often. You can use step-by-step wizards for numerous tasks. The Hardware Wizard lets users add and configure peripherals. The Network Connection Wizard helps you connect to networks. The Microsoft Installer helps you install, configure and upgrade software easily.

With IntelliMirror Technology, based on Active Directory service, desktop administrators can easily manage and back up user’s data.

4 .........................................................................

With Internet Explorer integrated into the desktop, Windows 2000 allows you to search files and folders on your PC, find pages on your company intranet or surf the web. Internet Explorer automatically corrects mistakes on common URL conventions such as http, .com and .org. It also lets you download complete web pages with graphics for viewing off-line.

NetMeeting video-conferencing software enables participants to talk to and see each other, share programs and ideas. It supports Dynamic HTML and Extensible Markup Language (XML) which help programmers create new ways of exchanging and displaying information.

5 .........................................................................

It supports the latest technologies, from digital cameras and music players to USB devices. USB (Universal Serial Bus) lets you easily connect and remove peripherals without configuring or rebooting your PC. It also offers support for storage devices such as DVD and Device Bay. Mobile users can share files between wireless devices (laptops or desktop PCs) through the IrDA (Infrared Data Association) protocol.

2. Read the text again and find:

1. the tool that protects important system files.

2. the protocol adopted for network authentication and security.

3. the web browser included with the operating system.

4. the Internet tool used to do video-conferencing.

5. the component that allows you to add and remove hardware devices without restarting

6. the computer.

7. a popular infrared protocol used in wireless communication.

3. Vocabulary search. Find the words in the text that correspond to the following:

Paragraph 1

1. pieces of hardware

2. portable computers

Paragraph 2

3. characteristic

4. internal corporate networks

Paragraph 3

3. set up a system in a particular way

4. improve a piece of software

Paragraph 4

3. browse (the web)

4. web address

Paragraph 5

3. restarting the computer

4. without cables

Infotech: English For Computer Users. Cambridge University Press

Text 6

1. Make a list of software products that you use (e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, etc.). Are there some features of the products you never use? Are there any features missing?

In the magazine article which follows, a number of software developers express their opinions on the future of software technology. Read the article and tick () the relevant boxes to show which opinions are expressed by the speakers. Opinion	Mary Evans		Gerry Harper		Matt Andrews		Bob Bolton
In general, customers are getting what they want.
In general, customers are not getting what they want.
Software is too complex.
Software is not complex enough.
Software developers know what users want.
Software developers don't know what users want.

Catherine Bull investigates this week: software

Software technology is getting more complicated. Developers have to cut through a jungle of computer languages, operating environments, and shifting standards to choose how they'll create their software. It's not an easy job. Software purchasers will have to live with the results for years to come. Which advances in software technology will prevail? Which ones will be just a flash in the pan?⁶ I chose four well-known software developers and asked each to talk about current and future trends in software technology. Their comments reveal some common and diverse themes. I began by asking them if they thought that software purchasers are getting what they need? What should developers be doing differently to give purchasers a better product?

Mary Evans

“In general, I think people are getting what they want ― there are a lot of creative things being done with paint software, word processing. DTP (desktop publishing) systems, and the like. Do users want more? Of course! Users will always want more. The computer is an incredibly powerful tool. Аnd any software that makes it easier, faster, more creative, or more cost-effective will inevitably be in demand. But I'm generally optimistic about the way things are going at the moment. I think most of the major software manufacturers are able to read the market quite well.”

Gerry Harper

“I'm afraid I completely disagree with Mary. I just don't think that software purchasers are getting the technical support they need. While the products are getting more and more complex, am more and more expensive, it seems that support is starting to be thought of as an additional business opportunity. More generally, I've thought for some time that applications are getting too big. And that they're trying to do too much. Yes. They're versatile and powerful, but they're also often overwhelming. I think what we need are simple little programs that are easy to understand and use. And that work together to accomplish more complex tasks.”

Matt Andrews

“I really can't agree with that. To imagine we can just go back to "simple little programs" just ignores the complex needs of many of today's software users. No. I'm sure that you can't stop progress. Suppliers know what their customers want ― they just can't supply it quickly enough. I've studied the market very closely, and I've found that purchasers' needs seem always to exceed the capability of the available software by a constant time-frame of about six to twelve months.”

Bob Bolton

“I think users are getting what they want. Provided that their needs fit the off-the-shelf⁷ application. Specialized software is usually so specific that it should be written in-house for businesses. Developers should add features that the customer needs, not what they think customers want. Some effort should be made to get feedback from the users before making an upgrade so that the proper features are added.”

2. Which of the four speakers do you most agree with? Why?

3. Translate Mary Evans's comments (the paragraph beginning “In general, I think people...”) into your own language.

4. Discuss the following questions.

1. If you were a developer of software, what kind of software package would you develop? Why?

2. Do you think software developers should develop educational software more like the software developed for games? Why?

Oxford English for Computing

UNIT 3. COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

1. Which of these things can you do with a home computer today?

1. send letters and messages

2. receive letters and messages

3. do your homework

4. do your shopping

5. make music

6. get information from libraries in other parts of the world

7. play chess

8. switch your lights on and off

9. watch TV

10. listen to CD’s

11. translate from English to your language

2. What things will you do with your home computer in the future? Which things won’t you do?

Example:

• I don’t think I’ll use a computer to send letters. My friends don’t have modems.

• I’ll probably do my homework on a computer.

3. Read the text and make a list of at least seven tasks done by robots and androids.

3. Refer to the text to find the term for these definitions:

1. a science field that tries to improve computers and robots with features associated with human intelligence

2. programs used by computers

3. stage of mass production in which parts of a product move along fir progressive assembly

4. small devices used for doing various tasks

5. robots that look like human beings

Text 1

ROBOTS AND ANDROIDS

Engineers are trying to make computers think and behave like humans. By combining Artificial Intelligence and engineering techniques, they’re building different types of robots and androids.

Robots are devices that move and react to sensory input. They usually contain software that runs automatically without the intervention of a person. Today, they are used in all sorts of places, from factories to space exploration. We drive cars that have been welded by industrial robots. We buy products that have been made and packed by robots in assembly lines. We use machines that have been built by robots.

Our life is affected by robotics in many other ways. Just think about medicine and the health system. Tiny computers are used to monitor the health rate and blood pressure. Micro-machines and insect-sized robots help doctors in heart operations and other complicated surgery. Robots are used in dangerous situations ― for example in repairing nuclear plants, clearing toxic wastes, and defusing bombs.

Robots has also been incorporated into the first “intelligent homes”. There are gadgets that regulate the central heating, sensors that control the solar panels, robot maids that do the house work, etc.

Some research centers are building androids – robots that have the shape and capacities of a human being. In the near future androids will be available for sale. They will have access to the Internet, guide the blind and assist elderly people at home; they will be a 24 hour security guard for your home, sound the alarm in case of fire and phone the police if there is a burglary: in short, androids will become intelligent.

Infotech: English For Computer Users. Cambridge University Press

5. Discuss

What will computers do to make life easier in the future?

Text 2