Section 1 Flashcards
What did computers originate from?
telephone switches in the early 1900’s
What is Moore’s Law?
trend of reducing switch sizes by half about every 2 years
What is a computer chip?
coin sized device that can hold an entire computer
When did Engineers configure telephone switches to do simple calculations like adding two numbers.
1920s
When were computers first created?
1940s
When could Engineers put multiple switches on a single chip. U.S. moon rocket program brought dramatically improved chips and decreased prices.
1960s
When could Earlier room-sized computers fit on one coin-sized computer chip.
1970s
When could Earlier room-sized computers fit on a pinhead-sized chip
Today
How long did civilizations agricultural age last?
many thousands of years
When did the Industrial Age start?
1700s
When did the Information Age start?
1990s
What happened when the Information Age began?
human activity shifting from traditional industry to creating/managing/using computerized information
What happened when the Industrial Age began?
transformed civilization towards manufacturing goods, leading to mass migration to cities, creation of strong nations, world wars, doubling of lifespans and thus dramatic world population growth, and more
What were computers in 1940s & 1950
large expensive machines for government and business purposes
few existed worldwide, costing millions of dollars, weighing over a ton, and occupying entire rooms
when were computer chips invented?
1950s
when did businesses begin buying more computers?
1960s and 1970s
when did people begin purchasing desktop and laptop computers for home use
1980s
when were computers began appearing in the form of electronic tablets, book readers, and smartphones too?
2000s
what is an embedded computer?
a computer inside another electrical device, like inside a TV, car, printer, thermostat, satellite, etc
What are computers built from?
connected switches that, like light switches, are either on or off. On is called 1, and off is 0.
what is a bit?
a single 0 or 1
what is a byte?
eight bits (01001111)
What is a character?
a letter (a, b, …, z, A, B, …, Z), symbol (!, @, #, …), or single-digit number (0, 1, …, 9). Basically, each item on a keyboard is a character (though more characters exist).
What is ASCII?
a popular code for characters. Ex: Using ASCII, the letter Z would be stored in a computer as 1011010
What does ASCII stand for?
American Standard Code for Information Interchange
When was ASCII developed?
was developed in 1963
How many bits per code is used in ASCII?
7 bits per code
How many characters does ASCII have code for?
128 characters
What is Unicode?
character encoding standard
When was Unicode published?
1991
How many items can Unicode represent?
represent over 100,000 items, such as symbols and non-English characters
Why do computers store 8 bits per code when using ASCII even though ASCII only uses 7?
most computer storage is built from multiples of 8
What are decimal numbers?
base 10 numbers
what are binary numbers?
base two numbers
how are words stored?
as a sequence of bit codes in the computer’s memory
What are symbols and spaces?
characters, and stored in the memory as bit codes
how are numbers stored in memory?
in binary. 12 is 0001100 in binary.
problem solving
Creating a methodical solution to a given task.
What should a programmer do before writing a program?
create a solution approach
A computer systems analyst mainly does what?
Deciding how to setup an organization’s computing technology is challenging. This job requires strong business sense too. Not all computing jobs are about writing software. Analysts often interact with many people and teams in a company.
Computer and Information Research Scientists
Computer and information research scientists invent and design new approaches to computing technology and find innovative uses for existing technology. They study and solve complex problems in computing for business, medicine, science, and other fields.
What education level is needed for computer and information research scientists?
Doctoral or professional degree
Computer Network Architects
Computer network architects design and build data communication networks, including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and intranets. These networks range from a small connection between two offices to a multinational series of globally distributed communications systems.
What education level is needed for computer network architects?
Bachelor’s degree
Computer Programmers
Computer programmers write code to create software programs. They turn the program designs created by software developers and engineers into instructions that a computer can follow.
What eduction level is needed for computer programmers?
Bachelor’s degree
Computer Support Specialists
Computer support specialists provide help and advice to people and organizations using computer software or equipment. Some, called computer network support specialists, support information technology (IT) employees within their organization. Others, called computer user support specialists, assist non-IT users who are having computer problems.
What education level is needed for computer support specialists?
Varies: High-school degree and higher
Computer Systems Analysts
Computer systems analysts study an organization’s current computer systems and procedures and design information systems solutions to help the organization operate more efficiently and effectively. They bring business and information technology (IT) together by understanding the needs and limitations of both.
What education level is needed for computer support specialists?
Bachelor’s degree
Database Administrators
Database administrators (DBAs) use specialized software to store and organize data, such as financial information and customer shipping records. They make sure that data are available to users and are secure from unauthorized access.
What level of education is needed for database administrators?
Bachelor’s degree
Information Security Analyst
Information security analysts plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems. Their responsibilities are continually expanding as the number of cyberattacks increase.
What Level of eduction is needed for information security analysts?
Bachelor’s degree
Network and Computer Systems Administrators
Computer networks are critical parts of almost every organization. Network and computer systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of these networks.
What level of education is needed for network and computer systems administrators?
Bachelor’s degree
Software Developers
Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or other device. Others develop the underlying systems that run the devices or control networks.
What level of education is needed for software developers?
Bachelor’s degree
Web Developers
Web developers design and create websites. They are responsible for the look of the site. They are also responsible for the site’s technical aspects, such as performance and capacity, which are measures of a website’s speed and how much traffic the site can handle. They also may create content for the site.
What level of education is needed for web developers?
Associate’s Degree
