Tuesday, February 23, 2016

I really wish I liked computers the way I see computer lovers like them....

Not that I don't appreciate using a computer as I need/want to for school, work, or recreation but say like my husband John, for example... (see below, he's the dude :D)


(John and Jamie)


The guy lives, eats, and breaths all things computers (software, hardware, spyware, malware, ware, ware, ware, etc).... 

I guess I never drank that cool-aid but it helps to have someone in the house know what they are doing when a computer breaks or we lose the internet.  Handy dandy geeky and cheeky.

Proud

Pretty proud of myself for making up the definitions for these acronyms off the top of my head.  Thank you to my geeky IT husband who casually converses with me about said topics like I am interested in knowing about it, but hey... it stuck.



11.) State what the following acronyms stand for, and briefly explain each.
a. TCP/IP- Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol- set of rules that allows computers to use data transmitted on the internet
b. LAN: Local Area network- group of computers physically near each other that are connected in a network.
c. WAN: Wide area network- can either be a larger LAN (say cover the size of a city) or reference the Internet as a whole
d. DSL: Digital subscriber line- internet connection that connects through traditional phone lines
e. WWW: World wide web- a world wide network that connects computers together
f. URL: Universal Resource Locator- web address
g. HTML: Hypertext Markup Language- the fundamental coding scheme that is used to encode webpages

h. ISP: Internet Service Provider- company that provides internet to customers (there are many companies)

Monday, February 8, 2016

Typical Homework for CSC111

Below is my typical weekly homework for this wonderful class :D... No that's not sarcasm, I swear.

Jamie Smedstad
Computer Science CSC 111
Ch. 2 Homework pgs. 39-41
08 February 2016

Multiple Choice

1.)  What is a UI? C. User Interface
2.)  Which of the following is not a common computer metaphor? B. Door handles
3.)  Which of the following is not an instance? D. Menu
4.)  Computers do… A. Exactly what you tell them to do
5.)  A good way to learn how to use a new application or piece of software is to D. click around
6.)  Each time you paste, what is made of that saved version? B. Copy
7.)  What key sequence does ^C indicate to the user? A. Ctrl+C or Command+C
8.)  When computers went mobile, this popular device was now a problem. D Mouse
9.)  What company introduced the mouse? D. Xerox

Exercises

1.)  Explain the desktop metaphor
The desktop metaphor is used to explain in simple terms what a computer does.  Since most people (pre-computers) understood what a desk was in relationship to working and managing documents, the computer was more of a virtual version of the traditional desk and an easier way to edit, manage, store, send/receive, and view documents.

2.)  Discuss the advantages of a consistent interface from both the consumer’s and developer’s point of view.
Consistency is predictable and with an intuitive interface, both the consumer (utilizing) and the developer (maintaining) can use it without too many frustrations.

       5.) Explain why feedback is important for the user.

It is a way that the person using the computer can understand if the computer is really doing what the user wants it to do or if it is still trying to do something but there is a wait time (like a progress bar).  This helps the user know his request will still happen in time.


Who knew Xerox made the mouse?  I sure didn't until just now!  Also "door handles"?  I could not even imagine how that could be a metaphor for a computer.  Silly silly!