Vocabulary

computer- an electronic device that accepts data, performs computations & make logical decisions to produce information in a form useful to humans.
General purpose computers- computers where both computation and input/output processing capabilities support a wide array of applications.
Information- data in a form that humans can understand & use.
information/data processing- the process of sharing information between humans & computers. It includes sorting, classifying, calculating, summarizing, & comparing data.
information utilities- business or universities that use large computers to store huge amounts of information about many subjects & make it available to the public.
application program- program that instructs the computer to perform a specific user- defined task.
computer system- a combination of hardware & software that interacts to accomplish a task.
hardware- the tangible, physical equipment for a computer, which includes input, processing, storage, & output devices.

Input- data that enters the computer system via an input or storage device.
input device- a hardware device that enables the computer to accept data.
microminiaturization- the ongoing technological process of size reduction that has enabled an entire microprocessor to occupy the space of a tiny chip.
output- data that leaves the computer system via any output device.
output device- a hardware device that reports information in an understandable form.
processing- activity with in the computer processor where detailed instructions, called software programs tell the computer what to do to produce the desired information.
processor- a hardware device that processes data into meaningful information.
program- a series for detailed, step-by-step instructions that tell the computer what to do.
raw data- data fed into the computer for processing.
software- the nonphysical electronic instructions that tell a computer what to do; software includes system & application programs
source documents- paper forms on which data may be written before being entered into the computer.
system program- a program that controls the computer's circuitry & hardware devices.
information superhighway- a global network of computers that provides access through digital, voice, & video communication to information resources anywhere in the world.
megahertz- on million cycles, or pulses, per second; this measurement is used to state the internal clock speed of the computer.
local area network- computer networks limited to a small area such as a school of an office building & generally connected with cables.
internet- the worlds largest wide area network. Begun by the U.S. defense department, it is how worldwide & includes governmental, educational, commercial, & personal computers.

WPM- 8

Current Event #3

Vista 'Pre-RC1' Getting Good Blog Buzz

Testers generally have given it good marks in their first impressions. The new version (Windows Vista), called "Pre-RC1" by the Redmond, developer, immediately got the thumbs-up from several well-known Windows fan sites. "We have made a lot of progress since Beta 2 and 5472, and we think you will notice the quality improvements that we've been seeing in the daily builds," wrote Nick White, a Vista program manager, on the group's blog.

"Installation was quick, performance is great, way better than the previous one," said someone identified as "Ely" on Neowin.net's message forum. Another tester there, "cheesegoduk," said, "It installed in under an hour which is great considering I'm not even using my fast hard disk to test it on." There are many other positive comments about Windows Vista.

Windows Vista, which Microsoft continues to say will ship to businesses in November and will be available to others in January 2007, is expected to roll out as RC1 within the next few weeks. Microsoft, which closed the Beta 2 of Windows Vista about a month after it unveiled it to the public, has said it will reopen broad availability when the OS hits RC1.

Vista 'Pre-RC1' Getting Good Blog Buzz-click here for article

Current Event #2

PlayStation 3 tackles world ills

Scientists are thinking of building a supercomputing network from idle PlayStation 3 boxes in a project aimed at understanding diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer. The cell processor in PS3 consoles is great at graphics in games, but it is also suitable for the more serious biological graphics applications involved in the fight against diseases.

US biological scientists started a project, FAH, which has already built a large distributed network of PCs to simulate the shape of proteins and examine how the way they fold may cause specific diseases. The scientists at FAH want to join up the PS3 consoles in gamers' homes into the network when they're not being used. Volunteers with PS3 boxes would download a piece of software that would enable FAH to use their processors when they're idle.

A network of 10,000 PS3’s would make processing performance four times faster than the most powerful supercomputer in the world. However, eventually there would be millions of PS3 consoles involved in a network of unmatched computing power. Sony is working together with FAH on real-time protein folding simulation software and a graphics viewing interface for the PS3, which is expected to be ready when it hits the market in November.

PlayStation 3 tackles world ills- click here for article

Current Event # 1

AOL to Sell Movies, Shows Through Portal

AOL is about to introduce a large expanded online video area. They are doing this to attract more people because there are people rapidly declining subscription services. AOL has been a leader in producing video programming. The new service, which will begin public testing on Friday, adds a range of new free programs. For the first time it will also sell commercial-free downloads, competing with Apple Video.

AOL will sell downloads from other large programmers, including MTV Networks, A&E Networks and Warner Brothers. MTV will sell full-length programs like "Pimp My Ride," "South Park" and "SpongeBob SquarePants," which will be available for $1.99 the day after they are broadcast. MTV, which is owned by Viacom recently sold more than 1 million "South Park" episodes through Apple’s service. Two other popular Viacom programs, "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report," will not be offered until the fall, when AOL expects to introduce software that will allow it to sell subscriptions to video programming.

The company’s research showed that users wanted free and paid programming: "Consumers said loud and clear, "I don’t understand why I have to go one place to watch stuff with ads and another place for download-to-own stuff. Can’t someone provide me with all my choices in one place?" Will Richmond, the president of Broadband Directions said, "Of all the portals, AOL has been the most active in launching video programming on the Internet," "They have significant media skills."

Aol is selling movies and shows through portal- click here for the article

Supercomputer

The IBM Blue Gene/L is the fastest supercomputer in the world.

http://www.forbes.com/2005/12/21/400-best-biggest-companies_06platinum_land.html

The top five websites

1. myspace.com
2. ebuamsworld.com
3. youtube.com
4. google.com
5. wunderground.com

How computers have change bussiness?

Computers have change business world as we know it, whether your part of a small business that uses computers for keeping inventory or accounting records or if your part of a large business that uses computers for almost every operation that business does. Some possible uses that are made easier through the use of computers are such things as online conferences with other businesses that may be half way around the world, or to something as simple as using fax machine in a company computer system to send an employer a memo in another office.

Computers have changed marketing, manufacturing, sales, auditing, investments such as the stock market, and especially accounting. The business field now has much more efficient than ever before.