Workplace Software and Skills
Chapter 1 TECHNOLOGY IN EVERYDAY LIFE AND BUSINESS
Chapter Outline
1.1 Computing from Inception to Today
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Figure 1.2
The Raspberry Pi 4 contains the basic components and power of a computer. It can power a robot, smart products, and basic PCs. At 3.4 inches by 2.2 inches and only .6 inches high, it fits in the palm of your hand. (credit: “Raspberry pi” by kritsadaj/ Pixabay, CC0)
Figure 1.3
(a) Jacquard’s loom, which performed calculations using a punch card system, was an early development in computing, as was (b) Herman Hollerith’s punch-card tabulating machine, for which he was awarded a patent in 1889. (c) Each hole in a punch card equals a piece of data (called a “bit” today) that the machines read. (credit a: modification of work “Jacquard.loom.cards” by George H. Williams/Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain; credit b: modification of work “Holerith395782Figures1-6” by Herman Hollerith/ Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain; credit c: modification of work “2punchCards” by José Antonio González Nieto/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0)
Figure 1.4
Grace Hopper, shown here in 1960 with a UNIVAC computer, earned her PhD in mathematics and went on to an illustrious career in computer science. (credit: “Grace Hopper and UNIVAC” by Public.Resource.Org/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
Figure 1.5
Xerox’s Alto computer has a similar look to today’s computers, even including the mouse. (credit: “Xerox Alto Computer) by Joho345/Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
Figure 1.6
Computing technology has transformed the modern workspace. People no longer have to be “in the office.” (credit: “left”: modification of work by Cory Zanker; credit “center”: modification of work by “@Saigon”/Flickr; credit “right”: modification of work by Daniel Lobo)
Figure 1.7
This December 1977 advertisement for the Apple II computer touts its uses around the home, such as organizing finances, storing recipes, and gaming. (credit: modification of “Apple II advertisement Dec 1977 page 2” by Apple Computer Inc./Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
Figure 1.8
(a) The Apple II and (b) the Commodore PET offered video games that popularized the use of computers at home. (credit a: modification of “Living Computers – Apple” by Michael Dunn/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0; credit b: modification of “Commodore PET Exhibit at American Museum of Science and Energy Oak Ridge Tennessee” by Frank Hoffman/Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
Figure 1.9
Google’s Waymo, a self-driving car, can navigate roads, maintain safe speeds, and see obstacles in time to apply the brakes. (credit: “Google Self-Driving Car” by R Boed/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
Figure 1.10
(a) Robotic surgery and telehealth services are two health-care industry-changing technologies. (credit a: modification of “Laproscopic Surgery Robot” by GPA Photo Archive/Flickr, CC BY 2.0; credit b: modification of “People on a Video Call” by Anna Shvets/ Pexels, CC BY 2.0)
Figure 1.11
(a) Uber Eats is a popular food delivery service that is becoming more widely available because of technological advances. (b) Autonomous delivery robots are becoming a more common sight on campuses. (credit a: modification of “Uber Eats bicycle” by Yuya Tamai/Flickr, CC BY 2.0; credit b: modification of “Starship food delivery robot” by bikesharedude/Flickr, Public Domain)
Figure 1.12
(a) This two-way wireless communication device was used during World War II to communicate critical information among troops. (b) Motorola’s DynaTAC was the first mobile phone to use cellular technologies rather than radio frequencies. DynaTAC was marketed toward wealthy business professionals at a price point of nearly $4,000. (c) The first smartphone, a personal assistant device, was a precursor to today’s cell phones. (credit a: modification of “Bärbar radio” by Flygvapenmuseum, CC BY; credit b: modification of “MF013: Figure 2.8” by Rosenfeld Media/Flickr, CC BY 2.0; credit c: modification of “Simon FIRST Smart Phone” by Mike Mozart/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
Figure 1.13
Kirsch took a photo of his son Walden and was able to capture the image digitally using binary digits. Part (a) shows the digital scan of Walden Kirsch from (b), the original photo. (credit a: modification of “NBSFirstScanImage” by Russell A. Kirsch/ Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain; credit b: modification of “Walden Kirsch” by Russell A. Kirsch/ Portland Art Museum, Public Domain)
Figure 1.14
The arcade of the 1980s changed how teenagers spent their time and their money. (credit: “the Luna City Arcade” by Blake Patterson/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
Figure 1.15a
(a) Historically, the rate of adoption for new technologies has taken decades. (credit a: modification of work by Our World in Data, CC BY 4.0)
Figure 1.15b
(b) Now, new products to the market reach more than a 50 percent adoption rate in just a few years. (credit b: modification of work by Our World in Data, CC BY 4.0)
Figure 1.16
Products are being adopted at a faster rate than ever before. The advent of social media has exponentially increased the spread of some of these later innovations. (data source: Interactive Schools, https://blog.interactiveschools.com/blog/50-millionusers-how-long-does-it-take-tech-to-reach-this-milestone)
Figure 1.17
The fitness tracking ring is a new take on the fitness tracker. It can track activity and sleep cycles and send the information to your smartphone. (credit: “Left hand with Oura smart ring on finger, right hand shows phone with the Oura app´s energy and activity statistics” by Marco Verch/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
Figure 1.18
Devices such as Google Home Smart are creating "smart" spaces that are able to be managed from remote locations, such as the workplace. (credit: “Home Automation22” by mikemacmarketing/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0)
Figure 1.19
AI in the home can take over inconvenient or repetitive tasks such as cleaning. (credit: “iRobot Roomba 870” by Kārlis Dambrāns/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
1.2 Computer Hardware and Networks
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Figure 1.20
Two essential components of a computer’s inner workings are (a) the motherboard and (b) the CPU’s microprocessor. (credit a: modification of “Green Motherboard” by Pixabay/Pexels, CC0; credit b: modification of “Intel Core 2 Duo E6750” by Nao Iizuka/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
Figure 1.21
Different types of storage devices used over the years include (a) floppy disks, which are no longer used, (b) CD-ROM disks, and (c) flash drives. (credit a: modification of “Floppy Disk Data” by OpenClipart-Vectors/Pixabay, CC0; credit b: modification of “Dvd Cd-Rom Compact Disk” by OpenClipart-Vectors/Pixabay, CC0; credit c: modification of “Usb Disk Disc” by Clker-Free-VectorImages/Pixabay, CC0)
1.3 The Internet, Cloud Computing, and the Internet of Things
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Figure 1.22
In the 1970s, ARPA’s network consisted of a series of nodes (connectors) and lines that stretched across the continental United States. (credit: modification of “Arpanet 1974” by Yngvar/Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
Figure 1.23
Major milestones in the creation of the internet came in layers.
Figure 1.24
To use a browser, type the website URL address into the navigation bar. Here, we’ve typed www.google.com to get to Google’s famous search page. You can also bookmark/favorite websites that you frequent for quick access by selecting the star button. (Google Search is a trademark of Google LLC.)
Figure 1.25
When you begin typing into a search engine, not just Google’s, most will offer suggested searches based on what you typed, as you can see in the list under the “flower arrangements” entry. (Google Search is a trademark of Google LLC.)
Figure 1.26
Using the advanced search features, you can restrict your search to a location or date range. You can also search using voice or search with an image. (Google Search is a trademark of Google LLC.)
Table 1.1: Internet Search Operators
Operator | Description |
+ , AND | Include a word in the search |
–, NOT | Exclude a word from the search |
“ ” | Search for the exact words contained between the quotation marks |
* | Search partial words |
~ | Search for synonyms |
|, OR | Search two words at the same time |
Using these operators can make your search more effective.
Figure 1.27
Videoconferencing tools such as Zoom make telecommuting easier than ever before. Forbes credited Zoom’s quick rise in use to its ease in navigation. (credit: modification of “VFRO - Zoom Meeting 3/2020” by Radiofabrik/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
Figure 1.28
Many libraries today have computer workstations where users can access the internet and conduct research. (credit: modification of “Vancouver Public Central Library” by GoToVan/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
Figure 1.29
Cloud computing enables you to store much more data than can be kept on any physical computing device. (credit: “Cloud-Computing” by Learntek/Flickr, Public Domain)
Figure 1.30
Each key has the code to the secret (encrypted) information, allowing messages to be sent safely.
1.4 Safety, Security, Privacy, and the Ethical Use of Technology
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Figure 1.31
YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram were the top three social media sites among U.S. adults in 2021 for both personal and professional use. (data source: PEW Research Center, https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/04/07/social-media-usein-2021/)
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