2. Read and translate the text

One of the most popular database application computer languages these days is Structured Query Language (SQL). This language powers simple and complex database management protocols, from basic data input and deletion to complicated queries, manipulation, and reporting of the highest order.

Many individual desktop or laptop computers run database programs powered by SQL. These days, SQL is the norm for such things. However, it is also powerful enough to handle enterprise functionality for mainframes, servers, and enterprise protocols. This kind of data manipulation activity gets the big names of Oracle and IBM involved.

These two companies, more than any other, have pioneered the adoption of SQL as the primary database manipulation language. SQL, however, has its limits. It is primarily a query-based language, and that accurately describes its limitations as well. The queries SQL runs can be as demanding as programmers or systems managers can imagine, but in the end, SQL will not do more than it is asked to do. Data management departments that want more expandable database functionality would do well to look to BASIC, C, C++, or various Web-based languages instead.

Still, if database querying and reporting are what you need the most, the chances are excellent that the database application you use to perform such tasks runs on SQL. Programmers design SQL to be fast and efficient. One pleasant consequence of its limited functionality is that it performs its designated tasks very quickly indeed. Data retrieval, even of large amounts of data, is nearly instantaneous. Data manipulation takes a bit longer in millisecond terms, but the difference will not likely be noticeable to human users. In this case, limited functionality is not a drawback, but an advantage.

Not only Oracle and IBM are designing in SQL these days, however. Many others are doing so as well. Not surprisingly, Microsoft is at the head of this class. The Windows creator has its own version of SQL, which is more server-based and consequently called Microsoft SQL Server. Microsoft's wildly popular Access database program runs this version of SQL. Other familiar SQL-based database programs include FileMaker Pro, FoxPro, and the open source based MySQL.

List the advantages and disadvantages of SQL.

3. Answer the questions.

1. What is the difference between 4GLs and prior ones?

2. Why are they called nonprocedural languages?

3. How do 4GLs help simplify the programming process?

4. What languages are 4GLs close to?

5. What are the differences between 4GLs products?

6. How is the ease of use of 4GLs gained?

7. What are the difficulties with transaction processing applications programmed in 4GLs?

8. In what applications have 4GLs shown great success?

1.18. Read and translate the text Multimedia

Multimedia refers to any computer-based presentation software or application that integrates at least two or more of these elements: text, color, graphics, animation, audio, and video.

Multimedia PCs are designed to present you with information in a variety of media, including text and graphics displays, voice and other digitized audio, photographs, animation, and video clips. Mention multimedia, and many people think of computer video games, multimedia encyclopedias, educational videos, and multimedia home pages on the World Wide Web. However, multimedia systems are widely used in business for training employees, making sales presentations, and other business presentations.

While sound, video and animations are still most important for games and educational software, multimedia technology has begun to suffuse business application as well. Film clips and animations — already a staple in PC-based presentations — are turning up in tutorials and training materials. Shared documents annotated with voice, digitized photographs, or 3-D graphics operate within the company network.

Text is the fundamental component in many multimedia programs. Multimedia applications not only use ordinary text to convey basic information, they also use a variety of textual effects to emphasize and clarify information.

Still graphic images are graphics that contain no movement, such as photographs or drawings. Graphics play an important role in, multimedia because people are more visually oriented as ever. Television, movies, and visual magazines, for example, are a key source of information for many.

Animation refers to moving graphic images. It can be used in multimedia applications to convey information more vividly than just text and graphics.

Audio is sound that has been digitized and stored in some form for replay. As with the animation, integrating audio into a multimedia application allows you to provide information not possible through any other method of communication in computer environment. Using audio in a multimedia application to supplement text and graphics can enhance understanding.

Today more and more multimedia applications integrate video. To use video in multimedia applications, you must digitize it, possibly using digital video production software. You can also use digital video production software to edit and add video to multimedia application.

The basic hardware and software requirements of a multimedia computer system depend on whether you wish to create as well as enjoy multimedia computer system presentations. Owners of low-cost multimedia PCs marketed for home uses do not need authoring software or high-powered hardware capabilities in order to enjoy multimedia games and other entertainment and educational multimedia products. These computers are equipped with a CD-ROM drive, stereo speakers, additional memory, a high-performance processor, and other multimedia processing capabilities.

People who want to create their own multimedia productions may have to spend several thousand dollars to put together a high-performance multimedia authoring system. This includes a high-resolution color graphics monitor, sound and video capture boards, a high-performance microprocessor with multimedia capabilities, additional megabytes of memory, and several gigabytes of hard disk capacity. Sound cards and video capture boards are circuit boards that contain digital signal processors and additional megabytes of memory for digital processing of sound and video.

Multimedia applications are used by instructors for classrooms presentations, by marketers in interactive advertisements, and by businesses for job training. Another important use of interactive multimedia is to create simulations, which are computer-based models of real-life situations. Computer simulations can replace costly and sometimes hazardous demonstrations and training in areas such as chemistry, biology, medicine, and flight.

Computer-based training (CBT.) is the use of computer-aided instructions to teach specific skills. CBT is used in business and industry, sports, and education for employee and student training. Airlines, for example, use multimedia simulations to train employees for emergency situations. CBT allows flexible, on-the-spot training. Training stations can be set up in corporate training labs or right at employee's workstations, so they can update their job skills without leaving the workplace. Interactive training software called courseware also can be distributed on CD-ROM or shared over a network.

Electronic books are digitized texts that use hyperlinks to give the user instantaneous access to information. These texts contain hotwords that serve as hyperlinks. You can click a hotword to display a definition, play a sound, show a graphic, or play a video sequences. You turn pages of an electronic book by clicking icons. Another popular type of electronic book includes electronic reference texts, such as multimedia encyclopedias on CD-ROMs. Like electronic books, multimedia electronic reference texts use text, graphics, sound, animation, and video to explain a topic or provide additional information. The multimedia encyclopedia, for example, Microsoft Encarta, includes the complete text of a multimedia encyclopedia, new articles on history, modern culture, computers, photos, animations, and detailed illustrations.

Interactive multimedia computer games use graphics, sound, and video to create realistic and entertaining game situations. These CD-ROMs often are used to teach children in a fun and appealing way.