Computers and Society, Winter 2001 (Bowen)
Topics for Final Exam
(This list is not final until the end of class on April 23)

mc - these items will be multiple choice

1. Computer hardware - what makes computers valuable?
   1. Adding and multiplying with switches
      1. Originated by Claude Shannon
      2. Also originated error checking and "error-free transmission"
   2. Logic Gates
      1. Two inputs, one output, a shape, a name and a rule relating the output to the two inputs
      2. Shapes, names and rules for of the three Logic Gates
      3. Filling in truth tables for single and combined Logic Gates
   3. mc Types of computers (five)
   4. Diagram of a computer - input and output devices
   5. mc Types of storage - units - primary, secondary, differences, types of secondary storage
   6. Instruction cycle - Fetch, Interpret, Execute, Increment
   7. Accumulator - the place where the "computing" is done
   8. Paper and Pencil Computer - given diagram, master cycle, instruction set and memory contents, carry out instruction cycles
      1. This is "the von Neumann architecture", invented by John von Neumann and used by all computers to date
2. Computer software
   1. mc Operating System - purpose
   2. User Interface - what is it?
      1. Command line
      2. GUI
      3. Agent (future)
   3. Windows
      1. Explain how to find out what program and program version you are using
      2. mc Mouse actions
      3. mc Active parts of all windows - what you can do with them and how to do it
      4. mc Active elements - how to activate them
      5. Dialogs
      6. Wizards
      7. Multiple ways to accomplish the same thing
      8. Starting a program
         1. with a file open - two ways - differences
      9. Difference between Save and Save As...
      10. Drag 'N Drop Vs Cut/Copy and Paste
      11. Selection - methods and result
          1. Keyboard methods
          2. Mouse methods
   4. File system
      1. mc What is a file?
      2. mc Hierarchical file system, what can be in a folder
      3. Using Windows Explorer
      4. Path and URL - naming them, identifying and naming their parts
   5. Forms of computer information
      1. ASCII codes - translating back and forth
      2. mc Number of values that can be stored in n bits
      3. File sizes for graphics, sound, number and program files
         1. Address space Vs actual memory size
   6. Binary - counting, adding, multiplying, powers of 2 in binary and decimal, converting binary to decimal and decimal to binary
   7. Applications - purpose, examples
      1. Word processing
         1. Primary function and sub-functions of word processing - e.g. creating, editing, formatting, printing, saving, opening
         2. Using Word
      2. Spreadsheets
         1. Primary function and sub-functions of spreadsheet - e.g. storing numbers, storing text, formatting,     formulae, charting, printing, saving, opening
         2. What can be in a cell
         3. Using Excel
      3. Access
         1. Starting Access, opening an existing database
         2. Types of objects in a database - tables, queries, forms and reports
         3. For a table: naming or renaming fields, entering new records, sorting and filtering by example or excluding example
         4. Converting a filter to a form, saving a form as a query
         5. Describe what a database relation is
3. The Internet
   1. mc Describe how computers are identified on the Internet (IP address and what it looks like)
   2. mc Describe the form that information travels in (packet, head, body)
   3. mc Describe how information is transported between computers (LANs and ISPs, Gateways, Routers)
   4. mc Describe the role of Local Area Networks
   5. Describe how the Domain Name System works
   6. World Wide Web (application)
      1. Given a URL, identify its different parts and what they signify (repeat of an item above)
      2. Describe the sequence of events if you point your browser at a web site by typing in the URL in the domain name form
   7. World Wide Web browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer)
      1. Describe action of web server and web client / web browser
      2. Going to a web site using
         1. Bookmark
         2. Typing in URL
         3. Using link
         4. Using history list
      3. Web chat - synchronous, description
      4. Web computer conference - asynchronous, description
      5. Describe or define the terms (computer) protocol, URL, IP address, gateway, router, HTTP, HTML
   8. Email
      1. Describe action of transporting a message using email servers and email clients
   9. mc Describe the IP and TCP protocols
   10. mc Describe the "client/server architecture"
       1. What a client does
       2. What a server does
   11. mc Describe the "peer architecture"
4. Using computers - Windows, Windows 95 Explorer, Word, Excel, and web browser, Access
5. Social issues
   1. mc Describe the services that an online job site can offer (from assignments and class)
   2. Describe the difference between privacy and security. Describe several methods to protect each. (from assignments)
   3. mc Describe intellectual property issues
   4. Describe encryption and the role it plays in computer security
   5. Describe the role that artificial intelligence could play in the computer field
   6. Describe three approaches to artificial intelligence, and their current status
   7. Discuss reasons why youth should be encouraged to work with computers
   8. Describe the Turing test for artificial intelligence
   9. Discuss the reasoning given in the "Social Issues" handout for why computers have not lead to net unemployment, and give your own view
   10. Discuss the meaning of "convergence" in the computer field, and give several possible examples