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To Contact us by E-Mail: JOANS followed by @ joansvoboda.com (formatted to foil Spam Bots!)college Study Guides:IntroThe Personal Computer (PC)
Concepts will change as each day goes by!HardwareThe physical parts of a personal computer: §
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
and related microchips, §
Keyboards, § Monitors, § Drives (floppy, hard, CD, optical, tape, etc...), §
Peripherals such
as mouse, printers, modems, scanners, and cards
(sound, color, video) and a variety of different types of
external or internal drives and devices. Central Processing Unit (CPU)
- Though the term relates to a specific chip or the processor, a CPU's
performance is determined by the rest of the computers circuitry and chips. The Pentium chip or processor is name of the chip made by
Intel. Prior to the Pentium
were the 80286, 386, and 486 chips for DOS based systems. A Pentium is a 586
chip. The AMD, the Athelon Chip, the Celeron Chip and others
now supply competition in chip production and usage. With faster processors the clock speed becomes
important. Earlier computers
operated at below 30 megahertz (MHz) Pentium chips begin at 75 MHz and go
up to 1G+ MHz and more. Upgrading
depends on the circuit board that the chip is housed in, or the motherboard.
Keyboard - The keyboard is the basic tool to
input
information. Different keyboard layouts and sizes are available. The standard QWERTY
keyboard has 101 keys. Notebooks have embedded keys accessible by special
keys and by using key combinations. Ergonomically designed keyboards are
easier on the body and wrists. Some keys have a special use and are called command keys.
Each key on a standard keyboard has one or two characters.
Disk Drives The Drives are the storage
devices - to get
information off and put information on the disk drives is referred to as read
or write information. Drives are designed for a specific type of disk
whether it is a CD, hard disk, floppy, DVD or Zip disk.
The term 'disk' and 'drive' are used to describe the same thing.
It is important to understand that the disk is the storage device
and the drive is the mechanism that runs the disk. Mouse - Most modern computers today use a
mouse as a controlled pointer. The mouse has two buttons the left one is used to
select objects and drag objects and text - while the right button is used to access
the more intuitive menus.
There is a round ball under the mouse that rolls and turns two wheels
to control the direction of the pointer on the screen.
Track pens, track balls and joy sticks are other tools to assist the user
in controls. Monitors - The monitor shows information on
the screen when you type. They provide interface between the user and the goings
on of the computer. Most desktop computers use a monitor with a cathode tube
and most notebooks use a liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor.
Graphic cards and color monitors are a standard for computers. Printers - The printer produces copies of
your data to print called a hard copy.
Basic printers are; dot matrix, inkjet, bubble jet and
laser.
Modem - Modems transfer information
through telephone lines. The term is condensed for modulate and demodulate.
This is the method to change the signal from digital, which computers use, to analog,
which telephones use and back again. Modems are measured by the speed that the information is
transferred. The measuring tool is called the baud rate. Originally
modems worked at speeds below 2400 baud. Today speeds of 56,000 bps are common and quickly being outdated.
Anyone using the Internet has noticed that at times the information travels
at different speeds. Depending on the amount of information that is being
transferred the information will arrive at it's destination at different times.
Internet peak periods are very slow. The amount of information that can travel through a
line is limited. This limit is called bandwidth. There are many different
potential solutions to the problem of limited bandwidth. ISDN is one up
and coming technology that skips the modulation process and sends the
information digitally (and much faster). Cable connections are another.
DSL is another method. Watch
how technology will progress in this area!! Scanners - Scanners allow you to transfer
pictures and photographs to your computer as a series of bits or a bitmap.
You can then take that image and use it in a paint program, send it out as a fax
& print it. Scanners can be used
effectively with text as an OCR reader An OCR reader gives the user a Text
Document that can be
edited by a word processor. Computer case - The case houses the microchips
and circuitry that run the computer. They
can be desktop models or towers. Most
models permit expansion with the use of expansion slots.
Connectivity is achieved by the use of the various ports and boards on
the case. Some ports are serial,
parallel, USB, Phone ports, speaker and microphone plugs. I-Computers
This type of computer is a specially
design computer with somewhat less capabilities than a standard computer but
with features that make it a great tool to access the internet.
Often the multimedia capabilities of this computer is souped up! Notebook computers Notebooks are
light-weight travel
computers with all the functionality of a larger computer. Some weigh as little
as 3.5 lbs. Most newer Notebooks have a connection called a PCMCIA port that
allows expansion or connection to exterior peripheral devices.
PCMCIA cards are themselves; the modem, the hard drive, or what ever. Cards - Cards are components to computers
that increase their capabilities. Sound cards: produce sound like music and voice.
Speakers and microphones are attached here. Color cards or graphics cards:
produce
color (a color monitor is a must). 32 bit color is standard allowing monitors to
display almost a billion separate colors. Video cards: display video and animation. Video
cards allow computers to display television as well as capture frames
from video. A video card with a camera allows computers users to transmit live
video. A fast connection like an
ISDN or network connection is needed for effective video transmission.
DVD Drives are now a standard accessory for any home computer.
Video can be transferred over the internet. Memory - It is common to confuse chip
memory with disk storage. Memory
is where the work is done and storage is where you keep your software and data.
Windows uses the computer's hard drive as temporary memory when
the program needs more that the chips can provide.
This is cache memory. Random
Access Memory or RAM is the memory that the computer uses to temporarily
store the information as it is being processed. The more information being
processed the more RAM the computer needs.
Additional or extra memory helps improve the speed of processing. Early computers came with as little as 512 KB of memory, which
could be expanded, to a maximum of 640 KB. Today it is typical to have
64megs of RAM. Software The software is the information or programs that the computer
uses to get the job done. There are many terms used for the process of accessing
software programs such as running, executing, starting up, opening, operating
and others. Examples of software programs or applications
would be the Operating System (DOS, Windows, O/S2, UNIX, Anything that you create on your computer is referred to as
software or data. Any document that
you create, graphic you design, sound you compose, file you make, letter you
write, etc.. All software is stored
in files or data files. A
thorough knowledge of file and disk management is vital.
Software is stored on a disk, a floppy, hard
disk, CD, tape or one of the dozens of other storage devices
available. Software can be
downloaded from the internet, purchased or acquired as freeware or shareware. There are millions of different pieces of software available
for almost every conceivable purpose. Software is available commercially through
stores and mail order and on the Internet. Or software development
companies can custom design software for you.
Software suites contain programs that work together and share
information, making it easier to combine that information in versatile ways. For
example when writing a letter you can get the address from a database, include a
letterhead from a paint program and included a financial chart in the body of
the letter. An example of this is
Microsoft Works. The three basic types of software: Commercial
software comes prepackaged and is
available from software stores and through the Internet.
Shareware is software developed by individual
and small companies that cannot afford to market their software worldwide or by
a company that wants to release a demonstration version of their commercial
product. You will have an evaluation period in which you can decide whether to
purchase the product or not. Shareware software often is disabled in some way
and has a notice attached to explain the legal requirements for using the
product. Public Domain software or freeware
is created by generous
programmers and released into the public domain for public use. There is often a
copyright notice that must remain with the software product. Disks and Storage
Disks are used to store information. All
information on computers are stored in files. The size of a file is
measured in bytes. A byte is approximately one character (letter
'a', number '1', symbol '?' etc....).
A byte is made up of 8 bits. A bit is simply an on
or an off signal which passes through the computers circuitry. Every
piece of software can be broken down into a series of on or off signals or it's Binary
Code. Floppy disk are still a common way of
transporting information (such as bringing files home from work) compact
disks (CDs) have become the most popular way of selling software. Hard
disks are the most common storage device. Compact disks or CDs can store large amounts of
information. One disk will store 650 Mb or about 70 minutes of music. They are
sometimes referred to as a CD-ROM which stand for Compact Disk Read Only
Memory. Unlike a floppy disk which can be written to many times a CD can
only be written to once. Also CD recorders are still quite expensive for the
average person. Hard disks store the majority of information
on today's modern computer. My first hard disk stored 52 Mb, 12 more than my
colleague's 40 Mb. Today the standard hard disk stores 3 GB or more. Like a
floppy disk information can be stored and deleted as necessary.
There are many other storage devices including tape, 3.5
inch diskettes, Zip & Jazz disks, VCR tape, DVD and
many others. Innovation in storage technology is currently advancing rapidly. Information is stored in an electromagnetic form much
like a cassette or video tape. Keep disks away from strong electric or magnetic
fields including x-rays. Be aware of high electromagnetic areas in the room such
as televisions, speakers, high tension wires, etc... Use disks only at room
temperature and keep them out of direct sunlight. If possible avoid passing
magnetic storage devices through airport x-rays. In theory information stored on
a disk will last indefinitely but the physical storage device will wear out with
usage and time. Operating Systems All computers need an Operating System. The majority of
modern home computers use some form of Microsoft's operating systems such as DOS
(Disk Operating System) or Windows
(3.x, 95, 98, NT, 2000 who knows when it will end) though some use IBM's O/S2 or Linux.
Mac computers use their own operating system, which is currently up to
version 7.x. In the past large companies and institutions would have an
operating system design exclusively for them but as the commercial operating
systems become more sophisticated the benefits of this practice is becoming less
apparent. Internet Service Providers (ISP) and mainframe computers
use a different operating system such as UNIX or Windows NT. Smaller operating systems exist but software is currently
being developed only for the main operating systems. Many older computers with
unique operating systems have lots of software already developed for them but
there is very little new software being developed for the older computers. The
proprietary operating systems exist but are quickly going away. They can
be very expensive to keep current. The operating system controls the input and output or
directs the flow of information to and from the CPU. Most of this is done
automatically by the system but it is possible to modify and control your system
if you need to. When
you turn your computer on it first needs to load the operating system sometimes
referred to a booting up. Basically the computer starts from scratch
every time you turn the power on. It checks all its components and will usually
display a message if there is a problem. Loading the system is commonly
automated scripts or small programs. Once the system is loaded the user can start the application
or program that they are going to use. Many Microsoft users will run Windows at this point. Windows
is a Graphic User Interface (GUI) which allows the user to control or run
the computer using a Mouse and Icons. The user simply moves the
mouse on a flat surface, rolls the trackball, or moves their hand over the
touchpad to control a pointer. They then choose the option they want by pressing
a button or touching the pad. Without Windows the user controls the computer using the keys
on the keyboard. Introduction
to Windows
This
is a hands
on course providing a comprehensive introduction to the powerful, productive,
graphic environment of Windows.
WINDOWS
In 1981, IBM released its first Personal Computer, Microsoft released MS-DOS, and the PC revolution began. Through the 80s, millions of businesses and people learned to issue a variety of DOS commands and to use a variety of applications. By the end of the decade, most users were working on a word processor, a spreadsheet, and possibly a database they used regularly. They were looking for an easier way to work these packages in an easier way. In 1990, Microsoft introduced Windows 3.0, a program designed to maximize productivity. Windows made computers easier to use. Windows helped in creating a multitasking environment with a graphical user interface (GUI). Menus, Icons and dialog boxes replaced the often cryptic commands of DOS. A multitasking environment permits several applications to be open at one time. Through the years Windows developed in keeping step with the many advances in hardware technology. Windows
at a glance:
Key Components: Desk Top
Task Bar
Icons Start Menu
Find
Help Menus
Dialog Boxes
MS-DOS Prompt Control Panel
Settings
Run Command
Shut
Down
Close Button
Mini/Max Button
Short Cuts
Folders
Recycle Bin
My Documents THE
KEYBOARD
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When working with numbers in a spreadsheet refer to the cell
addresses when creating mathematical formulas. This is because any
changes you make to a single cell will be automatically update without having to
re-enter the numbers in the rest of the cells.
Use the plus sign (+) to add; the minus (-) sign to subtract;
the asterix (*) to multiply; and the back slash (/) to divide.
Spreadsheets use formulas to create simple to complex
mathematical equations. A chart can be built to handle the financial needs of a
businesses.
Most of the standard editing features are available in the
spreadsheet such as Bold, Italics, Underline, Move, Copy and Paste.
Most spreadsheet programs include templates for charts
to handle many of the average financial needs of a home user or small business.
These templates can be modified or customized to personalize them for your own
needs.
Most modern spreadsheet programs allow users to work on many
sheets at once and access information from any of the sheets in the worksheet
group.
Computer graphics are anything that can be displayed on the
screen except the text and sometimes even text falls into the graphics category
if it is save in a graphics format.
There are basically two types of computer graphic, bitmapped
and vector/structured.
Bitmapped graphics are images that are mapped to the monitor
or screen. The screen is made up of tiny dots called pixels.
These dots can display various colors depending on the type of computer hardware
and software you have. Using shades of red, green and blue (RGB) an image
can be displayed on the screen by mapping different colors to the screen in
different sequences.
Vector graphics use objects created from mathematical
formulas to represent things like lines, curves, fills, line
thickness, etc. to create the image.
Each type of graphic has it's own advantages and
disadvantages. HTML only recognizes bitmapped graphics so anything created for
the Internet, using standard HTML,
must be created or converted to a bitmap format.
Within each of the two main types there are dozens of
different formats.
Graphics formats are distinguished by their filename
extensions.
The two main bitmapped format graphics used on the Internet
are .gif and .jpeg (.jpg). There are many others including .bmp,
.tiff (.tif), .pcx, .ppm, .tga and a host of
others.
Some of the structured formats are .ai, .cmx, .eps,
.wpg, .cgm and a host of others.
Bitmapped graphics can be created and modified in a paint
program and vector or structured graphics can be created and modified in a draw
program.
The main tools in a graphics program allow you to select a
section of a picture, erase part of a picture, fill a defined
area, select a color, magnify a section, draw free hand,
draw with various tools such as a straight line; a curved line; a
rectangle; an oval; and a polygon. You can also modify a drawing by changing the
size, color, placement, and, depending on the program,
hundreds of other modification.
Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) or .mpg is
multimedia format that is an attempt to create a standardization among the
various formats available. MPEG 3 has made it possible to place audio content on
your website without having it sound tiny and hollow or taking an extreme amount
of time to download. There are many different formats for sound including;
Microsoft's .wav, Sun's .au & .snd, Real Network's RealAudio , .ra(*), and various others.
You may have heard .mid files play when visiting
various websites. Musical Instruments Digital Interface (MIDI) files are
basically sound tracks which use a collection of sounds contained in the .mid
file to play a tune.
To create a sound file you will need an audio program.
You can then record with a microphone or off of a pre-recorded medium. Your
computer will need to have a sound
card properly installed and a speaker to hear your recording. You
can save the sound file to play back later.
With the advent of faster computers comes animation. Though it
has been around for years the modern computer has made it possible to include
animation in programs without causing them to slow down (much). As with every
multimedia format there are a number of types.
You have probably seen .gif animation on website (the
link to the Lakefield Virtual Village below is an example). A GIF animation is a
series of separate images or frames that display one after the other to
give the impression of movement. Other formats are Audio Visual Interleave's .avi,
the aforementioned Mpg, Apple's Quick Time .qt, .aif(*)
& .mov, RealNetwork's RealVideo .rm(*), Macromedia's Flash
& Shockwave .swf, Vivo's .viv(*) as well as various others.
There are various animation or multimedia players
available and most are free off the Internet (try typing the
www.companyname.com). To create and record animation you will need a graphics
program that is animation capable. Visit the various graphic company websites to
read up on their product to see if they can do what you want.
You should also be aware that most content placed on the
Internet is copyright unless explicitly stated otherwise.
The Internet or the Net is a collection of computers, all link
together, to share information globally. It was first developed in the U.S. by
two universities who were both working on the same military contract and wanted
to share their data. They were faxing information back and forth and then
retyping it until they came up with a piece of software called Unix to Unix
Copy Program or UUCP.
The internet was born and has mushroomed outward from that
point.
There are 4 things that are necessary to "get on the
net" with a full graphic interface (picture, sounds, animations,
etc...).
There are 3 things you need to get on the internet with a
shell or text account (just the text without the fancy backgrounds)
Once you have bought an account with an ISP you will be given
an account name. This is often your email address as well. You
will either be given a temporary password with instructions on how to
change your password to a unique and personalized one or provide the service
with one that should be change as soon as possible. Protect your password as you
would any PIN number.
The ISP will also provide information on how to configure
your software.
This can be simple or difficult depending on your Operating
System. Once configured you simply run the software to connect
your computer's modem to the ISP's modem giving you access to the Internet.
There are a number of pieces of software that work together to
connect you to the Internet.
The first and most complicated is the dialer or socket
software. This is the software that makes the physical connection with the
services computer and needs to be configured only once but you will need
instructions from your ISP on how to do this as each ISP has a different setup.
The second piece is an Internet browser. This is the
program that locates websites for you and allows users to maneuver around (surf)
the World Wide Web and view web pages. The two most popular today are
AOL's Netscape Navigator and Microsoft's Internet Explorer though Mosaic
was the first and still used by some people. There are also a number of
different ones and new ones being developed every once in a while. Some ISP have
a priority type of browser though most have given up this practice as it
seriously limits the users abilities.
Another piece of software is an email
program. Most can also be used to read postings (documents) on newsgroups.
All of this software can be obtained from your ISP though you
may have to download
the newest version yourself.
There are many different ISPs. If you attend a university or
college or belong to a military or government organization you can most likely
get Internet access through your school or work. If not you will most
likely buy access from a commercial provider.
Another option, if you are in a major center, is the Freenet.
Many major cities have groups devoted to making the Internet accessible to the
greater majority of people and create Freenets allowing new users free access to
the Internet. They run on private and public donations and usually only provide
text accounts. It is an excellent way of learning about the Internet in a
helpful environment. Another way that smaller centers have addressed the access
issue is to create a small ISPs with a few dedicated people and then add
equipment as people join.
Once you are connected you will have access to Email,
Newsgroups,
the World
Wide Web (WWW), File
Transfer Protocol (ftp), Internet
Relay Chat (irc), Search Engines, and other ISPs.
Email is a way you, the sender,
can transfer a message and/or file to others electronically (electronic mail).
There are many different mail reading programs or applications that control
email but the basic functions are all the same. An email address directs
a message to the recipient.
Email addresses are made up of...
As well as sending and receiving mail the recipient can save
the address for future reference in an address book, reply to the
original message, forward the message to a third party, edit a
message, check the spelling and a wide range of other options. Many mail
software applications allow the user to download
the messages to read while offline.
Users can also write or compose their messages while offline as
users are often paying for the time they are online.
You can also attach
files to email messages.
Newsgroups are discussion groups that are
going on all the time. You can write a message and post it to a newsgroup
in the morning and come back to read a reply to the message in the
afternoon. There are thousands of news groups covering as many topics. Some are moderated,
meaning that a person who has knowledge or an interest in a certain topic will
receive the message and read it before posting it. This keeps the discussion on
topic. Most are not moderated and the discussion can go anywhere but it can be a
great way to get a quick reply to many questions.
One problem with posting a message to a public newsgroup is
that unscrupulous companies mine the newsgroups for email addresses and then
send unsolicited email (spam) to the poster. It is possible to
disguise your email address using your newsgroup software's preferences.
Many newsgroups have a publicly accessible faq. A faq
is a collection of frequently asked questions that have been posted many
times to a newsgroup. You may get a gentle reminder or a completely rude and
insulting comment if you post a question that is on the faq. It is acceptable to
post a question as where the faq is located and you may find that frequent
posters will mention the faq in their message.
World Wide Web (WWW) is a collection of web
pages connected together with hyperlinks. Each document or page has a
unique address that allows you to find it among the millions of other documents
on the Web. The address is called a Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
or sometimes a Uniform Resource Indicator (URI). When you chose a
new link by clicking on it or by typing it into the address field
your browser moves you to that document which can be a different section of the
current document, in the same directory as the original or on another computer
in another city or country. Web pages are designed using hypertext markup
language or HTML.
Designing a basic page is not difficult after mastering a few
simple codes or if you are planning a website you can have a Website
Designer (send me an inquiry) create
one for you. The key to the web are the links to different, useful or
interesting pages. Many web page user will collect links to their favorite sites
or web pages and add them to a bookmark or favorites list.
File Transfer Protocol
(ftp) allows users to transfer file and documents from one computer to
another. There are a few different software programs that will make this process
quite simple. If you are designing a website you can use ftp to update your
website.
Internet Relay Chat (irc) allows users to
participate in real-time discussions with other users through the
Internet. A user logs on to an irc site and then types messages and replies to
others messages as they are written. Often an irc discussions has a topic and
users will join to discuss this topic. Other irc discussions are free flowing
and regardless of how centered the discussion is it can take some time to sort
out the different threads of discussion in a busy irc. They are also used
for online conferences with a famous or knowledgeable person contributing their
time to answer question and present information.
A new twist on this theme are online game sites were
Internet users can compete against other users on the Net.
Search Engines make finding things on the Internet
somewhat easier. Search engines are computers that collect information from the
Internet, sort and categorize it and present the information to the user based
on keyword searches or through indexes. It is worth taking some time to learn
how to make an effective search as the amount of information that these Search
engines provide can be overwhelming. It is common to be provided with 10s of
thousands of references to any given search term. The results from a search are
a list of pages with links to documents that match your search.
Receiving information from another computer is called downloading.
When a user chooses a web page to go to the browser automatically downloads the
information from the page and displays it on the users computer screen. The user
can also choose to download specific files. Sending information to another
computer is called uploading. To place a web page on a ISP the user must
upload the file from their computer to the ISPs computer. Much of the
information that is available to download off the Internet is archived
and compressed and you may need a utility to uncompress the files or
programs that you download. One popular form of compression is Zip.
Being Online means being connected to another computer,
whether that computer is your ISP, your friends computer across town or a remote
office computer, through a modem, or digital connection. Going Offline
means disconnecting your computer from the remote connection. If your ISP
charges by the hour it is a good idea to compose your letters offline and then
go online to send them.
An attachment is computer files place inside an email
message. Email was originally designed to handle only plain text (no
formatting, i.e.. bold, centering, etc) which was transferred from one computer to
another in a format called ASCII. ASCII is a standard across all computer
types which makes e-mail universal. Today many modern email programs allow HTML
(hypertext markup language) to be included in email messages which allow you to
format your email messages with font sizes, bold, center and such. The recipient
must have an HTML capable Email reader to see the formatting otherwise they will
get a document marked up with HTML tags.
Most documents created on computer, such as word processing
documents (Word, WordPerfect, etc.) or spreadsheet documents (Excel, Quarto,
etc.) or graphic files (Corel Draw, Paint Shop, or .gif and .jpg files) are
stored in their own unique binary code format. This binary format is
determined by the program that the file is created with. Email documents are
create as text files so in order to send a binary file or document via
email, it must first be encoded into a text format and then attached to
the email text message.
Such
an 'encoded' document may end up looking something like:Hhoijoiojm]]]]]=-=-;lkp-p-[p[;;ooooo[][][][][][][]][[
These lines are all printable or lower-ASCII characters and
can be sent via email. When it gets to your computer and you want to view the
document, first it must be decoded or converted back to it's binary
format before it can be opened. Today your Email program typically handles this.
Most modern Email programs work hand-in-hand with your
operating system to try and open the correct program required to view the
document sent as an attachment. This is done by matching the file extension such
as .jpg, .gif, .doc, etc... with a registered file type.
Computer viruses can also be transferred via email
attachments. Because your email software handles the decoding of programs sent
as attachments it is easy to infect your computer simply by opening an infected
attachment. Always check email attachment with an anti-virus program before
opening them.
There are several reasons why an attachment will not display
properly or at all:
When sending an attachment you should think about whether the
intended recipient has the right decoder and the right viewing program. When you
are sending an attachment to someone you should always use a standard encoding
process (the one that comes with your email program) and send the document in a
format that the recipient can view. If in doubt, ask them first by email.
If the formatting isn't important it's better to copy your
document from the program the paste it into the body of the message rather than
sending an attachment. Everybody's email software can read this ASCII format.
Electronic Transactions
on the Internet are becoming common place. Books, software and even groceries
can be bought and sold with the click of a button (and a credit card).
The biggest problem with doing business over the Internet is the lack of common
standards around security. There are dozens of different standards
involving hundreds of different methods.
The Internet, by it's nature, is an open system which
means that information can flow freely from one computer to the next.
Information transmitted through the Internet can be intercepted and copied as
any point along the path. For this reason it is not a good idea to send
confidential information like credit card numbers through the Internet the same
way you might send an email to a friend. In order to send confidential
information you must be sure that your private information can not be
intercepted along the way.
The most common method is Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). A
transaction computer with an order form for the product that you wish to
purchase creates a secure connection which ensures that all the information that
you send to it is not accessible to anyone else. If information from a secure
connection is intercepted it will be encrypted making it useless to
persons with malicious intent.
Most small businesses will not find it economical to setup
their own secure server and can purchase a service from a third party which
offers a transaction service. These services vary but all require a setup fee
and some form of payment for transactions performed on their secure server. This
payment can involve a monthly fee, a transaction fee, a percentage of the
transaction, a credit card company fee, a combination of these or all of these
fees.
When considering hiring a transaction service a company should
decide whether they want to setup their own merchant agreement with the credit
card companies or pay the transaction service to use theirs. Some transaction
companies retain at percentage of receipts for security deposit until a proven
transaction record is established anywhere from 30 to 90 days. Some allow
limited outside development of the forms used on the secure server and other
insist that the forms be developed in-house.
Another model is the Secure Electronic Transaction
(SET). This model requires that the customer download and install a wallet
into which they enter their password protected credit card information. The SET
system development was promoted by the major credit card companies to provide a
safe and secure environment for online transactions.
The SET "wallet" model requires that the customer
obtain a Digital Certificate from a Certified Authority (CA) which
they then use to perform the transaction. The Certified Authority, usually the
bank or financial institution that the customer deals with, verifies the
validity of the Certificate to the merchant. The customer enters their
personalized password to verify that they have the authority to use the
Certificate and the transaction is made. This model allows customers use their
credit cards to purchase items from merchants without transmitting their actual
credit card details to the merchant.
The merchant uses their merchant agreement with the credit
card company to complete transactions, process refunds and verify the validity
of the customers credit card information.
Though still in its infancy, many billing companies have begun
Internet transaction projects using the SET model to allow their customers to
pay their bills, check their account status and much more. Online businesses use
other forms transaction tracking to pay companies that display their advertising
on their web sites.
Scripts are used for many things on computers. Everything from
customizing and automating repetitious tasks to changing the way the computer
functions can be controlled with scripts. One standard script is the
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. This script
contains the steps that are necessary to get the computer up and running after
turning the power on or resetting it. The
CONFIG.SYS
file controls how your computer's hardware is configure each time you restart
it. These type of files contain instructions for your computer; one instruction
per line. These instructions are usually DOS commands and can be modified in any
text editor. Always be sure to make a backup before modifying a
*.BAT
file.
One of the most common scripts that the average user will come
in contact with are macros. Most programs use some form of macro. A
macro, at it's simplest, is a recorded series of keystrokes that help automate
repetitive tasks. These tasks, once copied into a script, can be accomplished
with a few keystrokes. You can use macros to help you write letters, create
memos, or build reports. Some macros stop and beep when you need to enter
information. Some present a screen with detailed information and multiple
choices. Many programs allow the user to record personalized macros for their
own unique use such as inserting your name and address.
Most computer users will use scripts in some way, perhaps
without realizing it. One common script that users often use are Wizards or
scripts that install new software. These type of scripts will take you step by
step through complex processes and stop a certain points to offer users
different choices.
On the Internet there are a number of script languages
including JavaScript, perl, activeX and many others. These programs allow website
programmers to create many interesting and useful functions. These scripts
are most often stored on the server that you connect to when you go online and
are accessed through Common Gateway Interface (CGI) commands. These type of
scripts are used for processing forms, keeping statistics, counting visitors to
website as well as limitless other processes with more being introduced each
day.
There are many scripting languages and programming languages
designed to be used with programming tools or as stand alone programs but lets
stick to the basics for now.
A virus is a program designed by a computer programmer
(hacker) to do a certain unwanted function. The virus program can be
simply annoying like displaying a happy face on the user's screen at a certain
time and date. It can also be very destructive and damage some or even all the
computer's programs and files.
The reason why hackers create viruses are open for
speculation. The most quoted reason is simply to see if it can be done. Other
reasons are Ludite based "smash the machine" motivations,
anti-establishment/anti-corporate actions, criminal intent, and various others
that range into the "conspiracy theory" realm.
Viruses take two basic forms
One is a boot sector viruses which infect the section
of a disk that is first read by the computer. This type of virus infects
the boot or master section of any disks that it comes in contact with. The
second is a program virus that infects other programs when the infected
program is run or executed. Some viruses infect both and others change
themselves (polymorphic) depending on the programs they encounter.
Though viruses do not damage computer hardware there
have been attempts to create programs that will do things like run the hard
drive until it fails or lodge itself in the computer's clock (which has a
rechargeable battery) allowing it to remain active even months after the
computer has been unplugged. Other viruses affect certain microchips (BIOS chip
for instance). These microchips need to be modified under normal computer use
but the virus program can produce changes causes them to fail. Other viruses
will affect the characters or images displayed on the screen which may give the
impression of monitor failure.
Viruses can cause a great deal of damage to the computers it
infects and can cost a lot of time and money to correct it.
Computer viruses have been around for a long time, even before
computers became widely used and they will likely remain with us forever. For
that reason computer users will always need ways to protect themselves from
virus programs. The main, common feature of a virus is that it is contagious!
Their sole purpose is to spread and infect other computers.
A computer gets a virus from an infected file.
The virus might attach themselves to a game, a program
(both shareware and commercial) or a file downloaded from a bulletin
board or the Internet.
You cannot get a virus from a plain email message or
from a simple text file! That is because the virus needs to be 'run'
or executed before it can take effect. This usually happens when the user
activates an infected program, accesses an infected disk or opens a file with an
infected macro or script (e.g.. wizard) attached to it. A plain email message is
made up of text which does not execute or run when opened. Modern email programs
allow users to attach scripts to them for various purposes and it is possible
for a malicious hacker to attempt to create havoc this way.
When you are accepting software or scripts on Internet sites
or reading mail from unknown senders it is best not to run a program from that
site or sender without checking it with an anti-virus program first.
Protect yourself
You can take safeguards against virus infection. The first
thing is to get an anti-virus program. Most reputable companies that create
virus protection programs release an evaluation copy that a Internet user
can download for free (you can find one at www.shareware.com). This anti-virus
program will be able to check your computer for the latest viruses and repair
damage or delete files that are infected with viruses.
The second thing you can do is purchase a copy of the
program. The reason for this is that viruses are constantly being created. When
you purchase an anti-virus program you are also purchasing periodical updates
which keep your anti-virus program up-to-date and able to deal with new viruses
as they are encountered. Commercial virus programs also allow the user to
customize when and how the program will check the computer for viruses.
If you find that your computer has been infected with a virus
use an anti-virus program to clean your computer and make sure to check all
the disks that you use. This includes all the hard drives on your
computer(s) and all your floppy disks (and any media that you save information
on). Remember that the virus can easily re-infect your computer from one
infected file!
If you have to reload your computer programs, use the original
program disks. You may want to check your original disks before reinstalling the
software. If your original disks are infected contact the distributor to get
replacements.
Always take the time to ensure that your computer is properly
protected. Spending money on a good virus checking program could save you
hundreds of dollars and lots of time later.
There is a lot of discussion these days about computer
security as more people use email and more services such as banking, mail orders
and subscriptions become available through the Internet. But how secure is the
Internet and what is computer security?
Before the Internet, computer security was limited to closed
systems or network computers such as offices or banks where only
people physically in the office could use the computer system. It was quite easy
for the network supervisor to set up user names and passwords
and since that time people have become used to logging on before they can
use these types of computers or resources.
With the advent of the Internet, computers users can now work
in an open system and security has become much more complicated.
Even though you can now connect your home or office computer to the Internet and
perform remote transactions without leaving the building you still want
to be sure that the transaction is secure. The transaction takes place through
the Internet by bouncing the information through various computers before
it reaches, for example, the banks computer. You want to be sure that no one
observes the transaction along the way and collects or modifies your transaction
information.
This is where computer security comes in. There are many
different types of security systems though most use a process called encryption.
When you connect to your bank or other service to make a transaction you are
often required to send your account number or user name as well as a Personal
Identification Number (PIN) or password for verification. Though the sending of
this information should occurs after you are connected to a computer which
allows secure transactions you can confirm that you have a secure
connection before sending this information. If you are using an Internet
browser you will see a small closed lock appear often at the bottom of the
window. Once you are connected to a secure server any information you
send or receive is scrambled or encrypted using a mathematical formula
and then reassembled or decrypted at the other end. The computer user
usually will not notice this happening as they perform the transaction. Anyone
with criminal intent who intercepts your transaction will be treated to a stream
of garbled nonsense - (e.g.. qANQR1DBwU4D560EJv6XqrMQB)!
If this is the first time you use a new service you most often
will need to setup an account and possibly download
a small piece of software called a plug in which allows your computer to
create the secure connection or link. The transaction often involves the
exchange of a small file that keeps track of the transaction and acts a flag or
bookmark when you next visit the service. These cookies as they are
called, though not able to run programs, can contain information like the type
of server you are connecting from, the type of browser you are using, the last
site you visited and any information you volunteer. Windows users can view the
cookies they are storing in
C:\Windows\Cookies\.