Fall 1998 Computers and Society
Tuesdays 6 - 9:40 PM in 113 Rackham: GST 2710, Section 990 and AGS 3360, Section 983
Mondays 5:30 - 9:10 PM at NWAC: GST 2710, Section 984

Last updated: 10/2/98
Link back to course Welcome...

Fifth class: Agenda
Tuesday October 6 / Monday October 12

  1. Quiz 4
  2. Announcements:
    1. From now on, you should sign in on the course web site.
      1. Go to the course web site at http://www.cll.wayne.edu/isp/drbowen/casf98/
      2. Choose the sign in link
      3. Fill in your First Name, Middle Initial (if used) and Last Name.
      4. Click on the "Sign In" button at the bottom of the form to send in your information and complete the signin. NOTE: You have not completed the signin until you have clicked this button. Of course, you have to have filled in the information first.
    2. I have the forms for reactivating your WSU email account. If you are a new WSU student this semester, you have recently gotten your AccessID and Password on a postcard to your home address. So, this is not for you. For returning students, to reactivate your email account through this classs,
      1. During a break you can apply for a new Password if you do not have your Access ID and Password. You will need a Picture ID and either a WSU student ID or your name on one of the computer class lists. Get one of the forms, fill it out, except leave blanks the TWO fields that ask for your AccessID. Where you are asked for your Student ID number, give your Social Security Number. There are two fields on the form that ask for your Password. Give yourself a Password and fill in both fields. Your Password must have the following characteristics:
        1. 6, 7 or 8 characters
        2. all alphabetic characters; no numerals or other characters
        3. all lower case; no capitals
      2. On the tear-off part of the form, along with your new password, write your name and class day. This is the part of the form that you will get back, so I need to know whom to give it back to.
      3. The Computer Center will find your AccessID and enter your new Password. At the next class, I will have the tear-off part of the form, with your AccessID and new password.
    3. The class photo album is up and running on the course web site.
    4. Will the following students please fill in the course information form on the course web site. To do this, start Netscape, go to the course web site at http://www.cll.wayne.edu.isp/drbowen/casf98/ and pick the "Course information form" link. Fill in the form on the screen. BE SURE TO CLICK THE "Done - Send it in" button at the bottom to actually send in your information. See me if you have questions about the on-line grade reports.
      1. Frazier Kimpson (Rackham)
      2. Pamela Shaw (Rackham)
      3. William Swazer (Rackham)
      4. Donna Jones (NWAC)
  3. Handouts, pass backs
  4. Computers in Your Future 98
    1. How Computers Store Data - Section 2-B
      1. Pg 2-41, Critical thinking #s 1 & 2
    2. Different types of computers - Section 2-D.
      1. Embedded systems
  5. Introduction to computers
    1. Examples of computers
      1. Embedded systems
    2. Basic mouse actions - review. The point here is to describe each of the actions. That is, what do you actually do? Later we will get to the results. Example: the action "double click" is: point and click twice, quickly. The result, if you double-click on an icon, is to open the icon.
      1. point: put the point of the mouse icon on a screen feature or object
      2. click: point and click the (left) button once
      3. double-click: point and click the (left) button twice quickly
      4. drag: point, click, move the mouse cursor, keeping the button down
    3. What is a file? Review of filenames and directories or folders
      1. Collection of related information
      2. Exists in permanent storage
      3. Has a name - filename and extension: filename.ext
      4. Wildcards -- ? stands for any one character. * stands for any number of characters (including zero characters). As examples, *.exe stands for a file with any name and an extension of exe, while *.* stands for any file (any name, any extension). In Microsoft Works, there are several file types, whose extensions start with w. This can be indicated by *.w*
    4. Types of files
      1. Programs, e.g. Word. Program files contain instructions for the computer.
      2. Data, e.g. a Word word processing file *.doc is a data file for Word.
        1. Text (ASCII or ANSI codes, often with formatting codes for word processors)
          1. The code for the text is universal (used by all word processing programs), but the formatting codes are proprietary (different for each word processor). The exception is files for the World Wide Web, which have universal formatting codes called HTML -- Hypertext Markup Language.
          2. Notepad and Wordpad create and edit "text only" files containing only ASCII / ANSII codes without formatting. These files are used in programming languages, and are the lowest common denominator for exchanging files between computers.
        2. Configuration files store information about a computer's hardware and software. Hardware configuration files are read while the computer is booting. A configuration file for a program is read while the program is loaiding to be executed. For example, Microsoft Word has configuration files detailing how you have set your opitons.
        3. Numbers used as numbers and stored in binary format. An example is budget data for a spreadsheet program. Since we are going to add and do other arithmetic operations with these numbers, ASCII or ANSI codes won't work These files can be spreadsheet or database files.
        4. Graphics, including animations
        5. Sound files. To convert a sound to a computer file, the sound is "sampled" at regular intervals, and a binary number is stored at each interval, coding the sound pressure at that instant. This is the same way that a music CD stores music. Is the music CD industry scared about music being stored and reproduced by computer? You bet!
  6. Windows basics
    1. Active elements -- these are common elements that appear in all Windows applications.
      1. Icon - a small picture indicating a file that can be started or run with a double-click
      2. Button - a rectangular picture that looks like a button, often with a label, that takes an action when it is clicked.
        1. On the Startup dialog, click on the Cancel button in the upper right corner of the dialog.
      3. Menu - a list of options that drops down when you click on the text on the menu bar. Click on the option you you want to choose it.
        1. Click on the File menu item, release the mouse button, and then click on Open.
          (In the future, we will call this the File / Open menu item.)
          This opens up the Open dialog. Take a close look. You will be using it many times. In order, check to make sure you get the file you want:
          1. Drive (A:, C: or other)
          2. Directory on that drive
          3. File in that directory
      4. Pull-down list - a line of text with a down-pointing arrowhead to the right. When you click the arrowhead, a list of options drop down. Click on the option you want to choose it.
        1. On the Open dialog, use the pull-down drive list to choose drive a:
      5. List box - a list of choices inside a box, with the chosen item shown above the list.
        1. On the Open dialog, make sure that the root directory (a:\) is selected.
        2. On the Open dialog, make sure that the file "globwarm.doc" is selected. Click on this file name to select it; the selected filename shows in the small box above the list box.
      6. Scroll bars - bars at the right side and/or bottom of the screen with up and down arrowheads and an "elevator box." These are for moving ("scrolling") through a long text or graphics file. The elevator box shows your location within the file. Click on the arrowheads for small movements. Click on the bar near the arrowhead to move one full screen at a time. Drag the elevator box for large movements.Try all three.
      7. Dialog: a collection of active elements to accomplish a multipart task. Dialogs are windows, so they have title bars. We will identify dialogs by their title -- the text on the title bar. When you start Works, the first thing you see is the Startup dialog.
  7. . Basic computer skills. For the Midterm and later exams, you should be able to carry out the following tasks without the step-by-step instructions such as you get in Microsoft Office Profession 97 Step by Step, or in many of the Agendas and Labs here.
    1. Start a program. Example: Start Word. (NOTE: Microsoft is the manufacturer, Word is the product. "Microsoft Word" and "Word" mean the same thing.) Examples of programs that this can apply to:
      1. Word
      2. Netscape (NOTE: Netscape is the manufacturer. The products are Navigator and Communicator, but normally these are just called "Netscape". Netscape is a Web Browser -- a program that used to view web content. A competing Web Browser is Microsoft Internet Explorer. It works pretty much the same way that netscape does. On the other hand, Internet Explorer is different from Windows Explorer.)
      3. Windows (NWAC: NT) Explorer
    2. With a program started, open a document on any drive, or open a web site
      1. In Word, open a file, given the path
      2. In Netscape, open a web site, given the URL.
        1. URL = "Universal Resource Locator", such as http://www.cll.wayne.edu/isp/drbowen/casf98
    3. In Netscape, follow a link by clicking on it. Links are colored blue or purple (if they have been followed already), and underlined. the active part of the link is the words themselves.
    4. Print an open file or web page.
    5. In Word, Save or Save As. Use Save As the first time you save a new file, or if you want to change the path of an existing file. If you open an existing file and Save, you will replace the original version with the current version. Otherwise, Save saves to the path you set in the last Save As.

      NOTE: You will also be responsible for normal word processing tasks in Word, such as entering text (typing), moving and deleting text, and formatting.
  8. Lab 3. Read the following steps all the way through before starting.
    1. Register your name for the computer conference for this course.

      NOTE: If you have used or are using the CLL computer conferencing system for any other course, DO NOT SET UP A NEW USERID AND PASSWORD, BUT USE YOUR OLD ONES. The instructions below are only for people who have never used this system in the past.
      1. Go to the course web site (http://www.cll.wayne.edu/isp/drbowen/casf98). If you have a choice, u0se Netscape rather than Internet Explorer (this situation will be remedied in the near future).
      2. Choose the link "Computer conference."
      3. Make up a UserID and Password for yourself on this computer conferencing system. You can use your UserID and Password from another system, but they are separate from those on any other computer system. Remember this UserID and Password! Type these in the Login dialog and click OK.
      4. If you are new to this system, choose the new user link. Supply the information needed. YOU MUST SUPPLY ALL RED-BUTTON ITEMS. If you do not know your email address at this time, use drbowen@cll.wayne.edu until you find out yours. You should change the listed email address at that time.
      5. Click OK when the information form is filled out the way you want it.
      6. That completes the computer conferencing activity for this class session.
    2. Hierarchical file system -- Rackham, go to Windows
      1. Open Windows Explorer (Start / Programs) and change its options to show all information
        1. Choose menu item View / Options and then the "View" tab at the top of the Options dialog
        2. Above the list box, make sure that "Show all files" is clicked
        3. Below the list box, make sure that "Display the full MS-DOS path in the title bar" is checked. This refers to the title bar on the right pane of Windows Explorer. If this is unchecked, Explorer shows only the final (lowest) folder name
        4. Make sure that "Hide MS_DOS file extensions for file types that are registered" is unchecked. Otherwise, Explorer does not show the file extension for most file names.
        5. Make sure that "Include description bar for right and left panes" is checked. Otherwise, Explorer does not show you what drives and folders you are looking at.
        6. Click OK. This puts your choices into effect.
      2. Make a new directory, C:\myname, where myname is your first name or nickname
        1. Make sure that the root folder or directory c:\ is selected - this path should appear on top of the right pane.
        2. Choose the menu item File / New, and then Folder. A new folder appears at the bottom of the right pane. Note that its name is highlighted (shown in reverse video).

          NOTE: In Windows, whenever an object or group of objects is highlighted, you can take an action on it, such as drag, delete, copy. Also be aware -- the Windows default is "typing replaces selection." This can be very convenient, but can also blow your hard work away. So BEWARE: do not leave objects selected for longer than is necessary.
        3. Type in myname and tap <Enter>/<Return>. Notice that your typing replaces what was there.
      3. Use selection and Drag 'N Drop' to copy and delete files
        1. Put the test diskette in the floppy drive
        2. In Explorer, click on the a: drive icon
        3. In the right pane, click on the file "copy1.txt". Notice that it is selected (highlighted)
        4. While holding down <Shift>, click on "copy5.txt". Which files are selected now?
        5. While holding down <Ctrl>, click on "globwarm.txt". How did that change the selection?
        6. Experiment with selection with no keys down, with <Shift> down, and with <Ctrl> down. Then go back to iii-v above to select all of the "copy" files and "globwarm.txt". Add "globwarm.doc" to the selection.
        7. Hold down <Ctrl> and click on "globwarm.txt"  to remove it from the selection. Experiment with removing and adding other files from the selection. End up with all of the "copy" files and "globwarm.doc" selected.
        8. Read this step all the way through before executing it. Click anywhere on the selected files, hold the mouse button down, and drag the selected files to the new directory you just made on the c: drive. Notice the "+" sign on the mouse icon as you move the files over. The "+" sign tells you that you are copying the files, leaving the original files as is, ending up with the original and new copies of the files. Without the + sign, you would be moving the files, and removing the original copies. When copying from one drive to another, "copying" is the default. (Default = option you get with no further action.) When copying from one folder to another, on the same drive, "moving" is the default. You can select the other option by holding down the <Alt> key as you act.
        9. In the new folder, select all of the "copy" files. Tap the "del" key. (Rackham: The PowerMac keyboard has two keys labeled as "Delete". One is the key at the upper right of the main keyboard group. The other is the lower left key in the group of six keys to the top right of the main keyboard group. The first of these is called "Backspace" on the normal PC keyboard. It deletes the character to the left of the insertion point. The second is called "Delete" on the normal PC keyboard and deletes the character to the right of the insertion point. In class, I will refer to these keys by their PC keyboard names.) Hit the "Delete" key. What happens to the selected files? Why should you be careful if a large amount of work is selected?
        10. In the new folder, double-click on "globwarm.doc" to open it in Word. Drag over some text to select it. Click on the selection, hold the mouse down, and drag the selection to a new location within the file. Don't like the new location? Choose the menu item Edit / Undo.
        11. Make a new selection of text. Type a single letter. What happened? (Typing replaces selection.) Choose the menu item Edit / Undo. Notice the difference between the mouse cursor and the insertion point (I-beam). Type a letter or two. Where does the typing appear -- at the mouse cursor or the insertion point? Click the mouse somewhere away from the insertion point. What happens to the insertion point? Experiment with moving the insertion point with the arrow keys.
        12. Make a new text selection. Tap <Delete>. How can you reverse this deletion?
      4. Use the "File / Open" dialog to give an alternate view of the same file structure
        1. Use the Start button and then Programs to start Microsoft Word
        2. Choose the File / Open menu item to open the file globwarm.doc.

          NOTE: in this course, File / Open means to choose the File menu item and then Open item on the File menu.
        3. In writing, describe the difference between the Windows Explorer view of the file structure on the c: drive, and the File Open view of the same file structure. Turn in your written description.
    3. In Microsoft Office Professional Step by Step, do Part 2, Lesson 3, from Pg 167 through Pg 190. After you open the file 03Lesson.doc (the extension "doc" may be hidden unless you have set up Windows Explorer as in IV.A.1.a above), immediately save it to your floppy disk before going any further. In this way, you will not change the contents of the copy of this file on the c: drive, so that people in other sections can start from a fresh copy.
    4. At the top of your document, put a line with:
      1. Your name
      2. This Assignment (Lab 3)
      3. Your location (Rackham or NWAC)
      4. The full path (drive, any folders, and filename) that you saved the file with.
    5. Skip a line (tap <Enter> or <Return>) after this information
    6. Save the file to your floppy diskette.
    7. Print out and turn in a copy of your file, as it exists when you finsih on Pg 190. This should include the top line with your name on it. You can print using either:
      1. The printer icon on the toolbar
      2. The menu item File / Print, then click OK on the "Print" dialog.

Assignment 5

  1. Reading as assigned on the Assignment Schedule
  2. In Computers In Your Future 98, answer the following questions:
    1. Pp 4-15 through 4-17: Multiple Choice (all), Critical Thinking #1
    2. Pp 4-30 through 4-32: Multiple Choice (all), Critical Thinking #2, #4

Quiz 5

Quiz 5 at the start of class next week will cover:

  1. Counting, adding and multiplying binary numbers, powers of two in binary and decimal notation, binary to decimal and decimal to binary conversions, values stored in n bits
  2. Mouse actions: list and describe the mouse actions, and describe the active part of the mouse icon
  3. Given an example of a full file path, identify its parts (drive, folders, file name, file extension)
  4. For Microsoft Windows, list the three (or five) parts of a window that (almost) all windows share. Also list what actions you can take with them.
  5. Given a picture of a window, list its active elements and describe how you activate them. NOTE: This does not ask you to say what they do, but how you get them to do it.
    Open.gif (1020 bytes)
    For example, for the "Open" button on the File / Open menu item, you activate it by clicking on it. That is the answer to this question. What it does when clicked is to open the selected file. That is not the answer to this question.

    The following active elements are included:
    1. Scroll bars
    2. Text boxes (type in them)
    3. Buttons
    4. Lists
    5. Drop-down lists
    6. Menus
    7. Check boxes (square, choose all that apply)
    8. Radio buttons (round, choose only one)
  6. Estimate text and graphic file sizes, and find how many files of a given size can fit on a given storage medium
  7. Diagram the structure of a computer. List examples of what goes in each part. Given a list of components, say which part of the diagram they go in.
  8. Describe the different types of storage, and the different types of disks.
  9. Give five different examples of computers, including whether or not the computer is embedded in another system
  10. List and give examples of the types of computer information or files
  11. Describe the following terms, as they are used with respect to computers:
  12. Compare the four computer generations with respect to:
  13. Translate back and forth from letters to ASCII codes, given the ASCII code table.