WEEK 5 - SESSION 3

In this session, I have learned about special folder, Windows and virtual special folders, system tools folder and accessories.

Special folders are folders which are presented to the user through an interface as an abstract concept, instead of an absolute folder path. They are used for storing application settings and files, storing internet files,…new special folders have being added in every version of Windows since their introduction in Windows 95.

There are three main Windows special folders, which are:

·        Desktop folder

·        Start menu folder

·        Personal documents folder.

It also includes folders such as “favorites”, “cookies”, system libraries and the like.

Here are the virtual special folders: recycle bin, control panel, desktop, drives, internet, my documents, network,…

I also have known about the contents of system tools folder, which are: disk cleaner and defragmenter, system restore, control panel,…. To access: start button => all programs => accessories => system tools.

WEEK 5 - SESSION 1&2

In the first session, I have learned about Microsoft Windows, Windows7 aims and its anatomy.

Windows is proprietary software. It comes preloaded on most of PCs sold today, and can also be purchased separately.

Windows7 is the latest version of a series of operating systems that Microsoft has produced for use on personal computers. For the anatomy of it, I have known about 5 main elements:

·        Aero view: which are aero, aero peek, aero snap, aero flip and aero shake.

·        Taskbar: included jump lists, pin and action center.

·        Search in the Start Menu.

·        Libraries

·        Gadgets

Moreover, I have known about additional tools in Windows7 and its requirements.

For the next session, I have learned about Windows7 file management, which are managing files and folders, using search in the search bar at the top right corner of the Windows Explorer pane, search options and features, and a new approach to accessing content.

WEEK 4 - SESSION 3

In this session, I have learned about types of network.

Nowadays, people use LAN (Local Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network) in common. Let’s find out about it.

LAN: is a network in small geographical area such as: room, building, campus, ... It has two types:

·        Intranet: is a private LAN designed for use by everyone within an organization. Access to an intranet’s wed site is restricted by a firewall.

·        Extranet: is a network that connects people your company with people who are outside your company-all within a secure, password-protected network that can be accessed from anywhere.

WAN is a network spread geographically (Country or across globe). It has several types:

·        Metropolitan area network (MAN)

·        Public access network (PAN)

·        Value added network (VAN)

·        Virtual private network (VPN)

I also have known about Peer-to-Peer network, Server-Based network, its advantages and disadvantages, Client/Server network and the other types of network.

 

It is the end of this week. See u in the next post!

WEEK 4 - SESSION 1&2

The first session of this week, I have learnt about computer network, network components, basic networking concepts, data communication and data transmission characteristics.

Computer network is simply a group of interconnected computers. Two or more computers are connected via hardware or software, and able to communicate with each other. For example: the internet, ATM, e-banking….

There are five major components of a computer network:

1.     Communication media

2.     Interconnecting devices

3.     Computers

4.     Networking software

5.     Application

I have known about the basic networking concepts, which are: Topology-the physical layout of network, Protocol-the rules in data communication, and Architecture-how the hardware and software are integrated to form a working.

There are three elements of data communication (at least) must exist: sender, medium, receiver.

 There are 3 data transmission characteristics: bandwidth (rate of transmission), analog or digital (type of signal) and serial or parallel (order of bits).

For the second session, I have learnt about communication channel, network medium, physical medium, wireless medium, digital communication, wirelesss networking (Wi-fi) and the applications.

Medium may be either physical cable, such as twisted pair, coaxial,… or wireless. Physical interface to medium is usually network interface card (NIC) or network adapter.

 

I have known about wireless media, such as: microwave system, satellite system, cellular technology and infrared technology. I also have learnt some general things about the digital communication, wireless networking - Wi-Fi and application as well.

WEEK 3 - SESSION 3

I have learned about the application software, personal application software, workgroup application software, enterprise application software, business application software and communication software...

 

I also have known about categories of application software, which are commercial software, shareware, freeware and public domain software, and other forms of application software, which are packaged software, custom software and web application.

At the end of this week, I have known about the software installation procedures.

WEEK 3 - SESSION 1&2

This is the my first lesson in class. I have learned about software layers, which are operating system, drivers, system software, and application programs. And programming languages, which are machine, assembly, high-level language.
Let's go through about software. Software is the intangible part of a computer. It tells what a computer supposed to carry out, and how to do it. software is divided into 3 categories:

• System Software
• Application Software
• Programming Language

Software layers

 I have known about system software, which has 2 types:

• Operating systems = a set of programs that coordinates all the activities among computer hardware resources.
• Utility programs = a set of programs that allows a user to perform maintenance-type tasks concerning the computer itself, its devices and its programs.

I also have known that not only user-interface has 2 types, which are graphical-user interface (GU) and command-line interface, but also operating systems has 3 types, which are:

1. Stand-alone OS: DOS, Windows, Macs OS, UNIX, Linux...
2. Server OS: Windows NT, UNIX, Linux, Solaris, Netware...
3. Embedded OS: Windows CE, Palm OS, BlackBerry, Google Androi... 

Let’s move to programming language. It is a set of words, abbreviation, and symbols that enables a programmer to communicate instructions to a computer, a tool to write or create programs, a language for a programmer to communicate with a computer. It has two types:

·        Low-level language: includes two types, which are machine language( the first generation PL) and Assembly language (the second generation PL)

·        High-level language: Pascal, COBOL, Fortran….

I have learnt about Program development process and higher-level language-the evolution (HLL).

There are 3 generations of HLL, each more powerful than the last:

·        Third-generation languages (3GLs): COBOL, BASIC, Pascal, C, C⁺⁺ , java,….

·        Fourth-generation languages (4GLs): Visual Basic (VB), Visual Age,…

·        Fifth-generation languages (5GLs): Prolog,…

I have finally known why we have many HLL and how is the compiling, interpreting, translation and comparison in computer.