UNIT 6

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Text 1: Computers in Business

The Four Cs of Computers

It is easy to remember the main functions of a computer which make it an important part of many business systems. These functions are the four Cs:

• A computer COLLECTS and stores data, information and instructions.

• A computer CALCULATES and generates information from data

• A computer CONTROLS processes and machines by giving instructions

• A computer COMMUNICATES data and information to other machines

A computer is also part of an Information Technology (IT) system. IT is a common name to describe the three main components of а business computer system. These components are:

• The computer and any associated machines, which are basically boxes containing electronic equipment and usually called 'hardware'

• The instructions in the form of electronic signals (voltages) which are used to program the computer to perform different jobs. These electronic signals and the instructions to generate these signals by pressing keys on a keyboard or pressing a switch are called 'software'

• The communications links, such as electric cables, optic fibres, lasers and radio waves, which allow computers in any part of the world to 'talk' to each other.

The Computer Program

A computer program ('program' is always spelt the American way) is a set of instructions written in a manner that can be understood by the computer. These instructions can, for example, teach the computer to sort numbers or to telephone the _-fire service if a smoke detector is alerted. The program is 'fed' into the computer using a key board or disk on which the signals corresponding to the keyboard entries have been stored. Some programs are in the computer all the time for common jobs such as copying disks or turning on the printer. Other programs are removed from the computer when not needed to free valuable working space.

For example, we can give the computer a set of disks in order to do the business accounts. The computer reads the disks and is able to process the accounts. When the accounts have been processed, we can remove the program simply by loading in another program.

A big incentive to business users of modern computer systems is that costs have fallen while performance has increased.'

Why a Computer?

The four Cs of a computer system can also be performed by a human being. So why use a computer? The reasons are:

• The computer works at least a million times faster than a human being

• The computer does not make mistakes

• The computer does not get bored

• The computer is more accurate

So, if a computer is so clever, why can it not run a business all by itself?

Certainly the day is fast approaching when a computer system will completely replace some types of manufacturing system. Let’s consider the example of a factory unit comprising a building containing computer-controlled machines. Machines automatically select material from a store, cut it to shape, assemble different machined items to make a component, and place these components in a packing case. When the packing case is full, it is sent out of the building, and a new cycle commences. The big difference between this factory and a normal factory is that:

• Production continues for six days (twenty-four-hour days) continuously

• There are no windows and no lighting systems, since the machines generate what little light they use for 'picking up' items, using robotic arms and fingers

• There is no environmental heating since the machines generate their own heat to keep themselves at the ideal working temperature.

During the seventh, non-production day, maintenance engineers service the machine tools.

In financial control, computers are commonly used to generate complete sets of financial reports immediately upon request. These reports used to take trained accountants many days to produce. With this degree of up-to-date information, managers and owners can make important short-term decisions in periods of crisis, and plan longer-term activities. The business centre of an organization will begin to look more and more like the command centre of a battleship, with all current financial and operational information being instantly available, as well as the current state of all resources.

What a Computer Cannot Do

Although, theoretically, a computer system can replace many business functions, there are three main activities which will retain human participation:

• Directing a business to seek future objectives

• Negotiating agreements between parties

• Designing new products or services

All these activities require innovative imagination, and this is not a service offered by a machine. Directors must have the vision to seek new horizons; negotiators must have empathy in understanding other people's point of view; and designers must have the imagination to turn marketers's dreams into reality.

Vocabulary:

equipment	оборудование
hardware	аппаратные средства
software	программное обеспечение
to be employed	работать (по найму)
keyboardentry	ввод с клавиатуры
toprocess	обрабатывать
incentive	стимул
performance	производительность
to get bored	наскучить
accurate	точный
to run a business	вести дело
tooccur	происходить
store	склад
to assemble	собирать
tomachine	обрабатывать на станке
tocommence	начинать
maintenance	техническое обслуживание
upon request	по запросу
to retain	сохранять
toseek	искать, добиваться
tonegotiate	обсуждать
negotiator	лицо, участвующее в переговорах
empathy	умение поставить себя на место другого

Comprehension Questions:

1. What are the four Cs of computers?

2. What does an IT stand for?

3. What are three main components of a business computer system?

4. What is a computer program?

5. What are the advantages of computers in comparison with human beings?

6. Can a computer run a business all by itself?

7. What activities retain human participation and why?

Task 1. Match the words to their definitions.

memory	a set of instructions secretly put onto a computer or computer program, which can destroy information
monitor	the part of a computer where information can be stored
mouse	a small computer that you can carry with you
modem	someone who secretly uses or changes the information in other people’s computer systems
laptop	a small object connected to a computer by a wire, which you move with your hand to give instructions to the computer
virus	the part of a computer with a screen, on which you can see information
hacker	a piece of electronic equipment that allows information from one computer to be sent along telephone wires to another computer

Task 2. Study the collocations with the word computer and translate them into Russian.

VERBS

use a computer Most people do jobs in which they have to use a computer.

log onto a computer (=start using it by typing a password) Next time you log onto your computer, you will have to use a new password.

switch a computer on/off | start up/boot up a computer (=make it start working) shut down a computer (=close the programs and stop it working)

restart/reboot a computer (=make it start working again)

program a computer (=give it instructions so that it will do a particular job) hold/store sth on a computer

a computer starts up/boots up

a computer crashes (=suddenly stops working)

a computer is down (=is not working)

computer +NOUN

a computer system Our office is installing a new computer system.

a computer screen/monitor Make sure your computer screen is at the right height. a computer keyboard

a computer network (-a set of computers connected to each other)

a computer program (=a set of instructions stored inside a computer)

computer software (=computer programs)

computer hardware/equipment (=machines and equipment, not programs)

a computer game

computer graphics (=images created by computers)

computer technology

computer science (=the study of computers and what they can do)

a computer user

a computer programmer (=someone who writes the instructions a computer uses to do a particular job)

a computer virus (=a program that secretly destroys information stored on computers)

a computer error

Task 3. Write one word or word combination from the box for each verb. For some verbs several variants are possible. Translate into Russian.

a CD-ROM data a document a file/folder

information from the Internet a key/button

a picture/photo a program software your password

download ______________________

edit ______________________

enter ______________________

insert ______________________

load ______________________

open ______________________

press ______________________

print ______________________

run ______________________

save ______________________

scan ______________________

search (for) ______________________

Task 4.

A. Study the information about software applications.

You can use different application software for:

• writing documents, such as letters and reports, on word processing software

• doing calculations on figures using spreadsheet software

• storing and analyzing information on a database

• sending and receiving email via the Internet

• finding information on the Internet using a browser

• preparing material that will be used to explain a new product, idea, or plan to other people using presentation software or multimedia software

• designing and making industrial products or buildings using a CAD/CAM (computer-aided design and manufacture) software package

B. Look at the above information. Which application or software package do you use if you want to:

1 prepare a budget

2 give a talk with pictures to potential customers

3 write a letter

4 find a website on the Internet

5 design a car

Text 2: The Internet

The Internet is a network of networks. A computer network is a group of computers that have been connected so they can communicate with each other. They can send messages to each other and can share information in the form of computer files. On those networks are millions of computers, computer terminals and users.

But the Internet isn't just a network. It's a network of networks. Lots of different networks have been joined to produce the world's largest group of connected computers. Some of the networks are run by government bodies, some by universities, some by businesses, some by local community library systems, and some are even run by schools. Most are in the United States, but many are overseas, in countries ranging from Australia to Zimbabwe. The Internet might make it possible for you to communicate with all these people on all these computer networks through electronic 'mail'.

When you connect to the Internet, you have the opportunity to connect to thousands of different systems. Those computers contain government archives, university databases, local-community computing resources, library catalogs, messages about any subject you can imagine, and millions of computer files containing photographs, documents, sound clips, video, and whatever else you can put into digital form.

Vocabulary:

network	сеть
terminal	терминал, конечное устройство, электронное устройство для ввода/вывода данных в компьютер
archive	архив
digit	цифра

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is a computer network?

2. In what way do computers communicate with each other?

3. What is meant by the phase “The Internet is a network of networks?”

4. Can schools and universities run networks?

5. What do computer files contain?

Task 5. Study the collocations with the word Internet and translate them into Russian.

VERBS

use the Internet More and more companies are using the Internet to conduct their business.

go on the Internet I went on the Internet to find some information for my assignment.

access the Internet/connect to the Internet You can access the Internet from your mobile phone.

surf the Internet (=look at different websites) She spends hours surfing the Internet every evening.

download sth from the Internet I downloaded the file from the Internet.

buy sth on the Internet He bought the chairs on the Internet.

Internet +NOUN

an Internet connection a high-speed Internet connection

Internet access Not everyone has Internet access at home.

an Internet address (-the address of a website) The company charges $100 to register a new internet address.

an Internet service provider (=a company that allows you to connect to the Internet) Your Internet service provider should be able to solve the problem.

Internet shopping/banking The new regulations will increase customer confidence in Internet shopping.

an Internet user The number of Internet users is doubling every six months.

Internet use The software allows parents to control children's Internet use.

Internet traffic (=the number of people using the Internet)

Internet dating (=using the internet to meet people for a romantic relationship)

an Internet cafe (=a cafe with computers, where people can pay to use the Internet)

Task 6.

A. Read the three extracts and say briefly what each person uses the Internet for.

1) Ann, 19-year-old Swedish student in London.

I use the Internet a lot as I'm a student. For example, if I'm researching a project it's much easier than going to the library. I also use it to keep in touch with my family and friends back in Sweden. Oh yes, and I use it for finding cheap holidays. Last September my boyfriend and I went to Greece and we found and booked everything online.

2) Peter, 34-year-old American sales manager for a drug company in Paris.

I travel a lot in my job flying around Europe, and so I find it very convenient to use the Web for booking airline tickets. Another thing I use the Web for is to check the football and baseball scores from back home. I like to follow my teams! I sometimes use the Internet for buying books and CDs. It's much cheaper. Also I'm doing an MBA course over the Internet, by distance learning.

3) Derek, 70-year-old retired British architect.

I love the Internet. I use it to do all my banking. It's excellent; I can do everything I want day or night. I also do most of my food shopping over the Internet. As I'm retired, I spend a lot of time going to concerts, the cinema, that kind of thing. I always book my tickets online. Oh yes - my daughter and her family are in Australia, so I keep in touch with her and my grandchildren by e-mail.

B. What do you use the Internet for? How often do you use it? What sites do you recommend?

Task 7.

A. Read this advice about using the Internet. Match the underlined words with their definitions below.

How do you get started on the Internet? First you log on¹. Then, a good way is to go to an efficient search engine², for example, Yahoo! Or Google. You type in a keyword³ to show what you are looking for. Very quickly you receive a list of websites⁴ to choose from. Sometimes the list is long – enough to keep surfers⁵ happy for many hours. When you find the right website, you can either download⁶ information or print it out. If you download a file with a virus in it, your computer may crash⁷.

1. people who spend a lot of time using the Internet

2. take information from the Internet and copy it to your computer

3. a website which finds information about other websites

4. places on the Internet containing information

5. your computer stops working because of a problem

6. enter information to start using a computer or website

7. the word which tells the search engine what you are looking for

B. Which search engines do you use? What are your favorite websites? What do you buy on the Internet? What problems do you have?

TEXT 3: THE ORIGINS OF THE INTERNET

The Internet is being used now to gather information, to shop or just for entertainment. But do you really understand how you are doing what you are doing as you move from web location to web location? How did the Internet get started?

The Internet began in the late 1960s as an experiment by the U.S. Department of Defense to see if a non-centralized network could be built to withstand the destruction of one or more of its parts. Unlike previous networks, this new network did not have a single central point. Instead, all sites on the network were interconnected.

Out of this network came a protocol for linking computers together. A protocol is a set of standards for how network communication takes place. The protocol is called TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). This protocol is the standard that makes it possible for different computers all over the globe to talk to each other. The TCP/IP protocol is the foundation of the Internet.

At first, the Internet was used solely by the US government, but soon universities and other institutions connected themselves to the Internet to communicate with one another and collaborate on projects. The Internet grew to connect hundreds of different sites all across the world. Each organization on the Internet was responsible for maintaining its part of the network, so the Internet was not owned or controlled by any one organization.

Getting connected

The Internet is like a system of roads, freeways, and bridges. The term "Information Superhighway" describes how the Internet works. From any road in any city, you can get to almost any other road in any other city. From your computer you can send an electronic mail message to someone sitting at a computer in Helsinki, Warsaw, or Moscow.

Internet access companies or Internet Service Providers (ISP) provide physical connections that allow you to access the internet.

These connections are called "POPs," which stands for "points of presence."

Your computer uses a modem to dial into a POP, which connects you to the Internet. Once connected to a POP, you have access to all the resources of the Internet. Most ISP's will also supply you with software available for work in the Internet: a Web browser.

The Birth of Domain Names

In the 1980's, a major change occurred as a result of the increase in scale of the Internet and its associated management issues. To make it easy for people to use the network, hosts were assigned names, so that it was not necessary to remember the numeric addresses. Originally, there were a fairly limited number of hosts, so it was feasible to maintain a single table of all the hosts and their names and addresses. The shift to having a large number of independently managed networks or so called Local Area Networks (LANs) meant that having a single table of hosts was no longer feasible, and the Domain Name System (DNS) was established. A domain name is the letters or words that visitors must type in to come to your website. The DNS permitted the conversion of a numeric host address (i.e, 215.72.87.66) to a simpler, easier to remember name address (e.g. www.prospekt.org).

The Birth of the Web Browser

In October of 1994, Mosaic Communications Corporation (re­named "Netscape Communications" on 11 November 1994) intro­duced the first public version of their browser, "Mosaic NetScape." A browser is a software program, which reads the computer language (Hyper Text Markup Language - HTML) used to code information on the Web and allows you to view documents on the Web. This was one of the first web browsers to be freely distributed across the Internet.

Vocabulary:

Department of Defense	Министерство обороны
to withstand	выдержать, противостоять
network communication	передача информации в глобальной сети
freeway	автострада, многопутная дорога (амер.)
superhighway	автострада высшего класса (амер.)
Internet Service Providers	провайдер (компания, предоставляющая доступ удаленным пользователям к Интернету по коммутируемым или выделенным линиям
host	хост (сетевой узел, использующий протоколы TCP/IP)
host address	ведущий адрес (адрес, присвоенный главному сетевому узлу)
scale	масштаб, размер

Comprehension Questions:

1. When and how did Internet get started?

2. What is the TCP/IP protocol?

3. Who provides physical connections that allow the access to the Internet?

4. How is the host address expressed in DNS?

5. What is a browser?

6. What is a domain name?

7. When was the first browser introduced?

Task 8. Are you a 'Nethead' or a 'Web-hater'? Discuss the following with a partner.

1. How much time do you spend surfing the Internet?

2. Do you ever join online discussion groups or chat rooms?

3. Do^-you book things like flights and hotel rooms on the Net?

4. Have you ever bought goods over the Net—books, CDs, software?

5. Would you search for a job on the Internet?

6. Do you bank online? If not, would you?

7. Would you consider looking for a partner in cyberspace?

Task 9. Read the following quotation:

“The Internet is so big, so powerful and so pointless that for some people it is a complete substitute for life” (Andrew Brown, a Website designer)

Do you agree? What is your opinion?

TEXT 4: HOW DOES E-MAIL WORK?

Let's say you're sending mail to (username@domain name). When you've finished composing your email, your mailer (email software) performs a gethostbyname system call to look up the IP address of the remote host (aol.com). The IP address (INTERNET PROTOCOL ad­dress) is an assigned number, which identifies a host in an Internet. It has three parts: network number, optional subnet number, and host number.

Your system queries an Internet name server to find the address of aol.com.

Your mailer opens a virtual circuit over the Internet. It communicates with the remote mailer by using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).

If all goes well, the mail is usually delivered within a few seconds, even if the recipient's machine is on the other side of the world.

If the remote site is down, your mailer will keep trying every hour or so, usually for a couple of days.

If the site still can't be reached, the mail will be returned to you as "undeliverable message."

People and organizations without fulltime Internet connections may also use the Post Office Protocol (POP).

How to read an e-mail address?

Here is an example of an e-mail address:

[e-mail]

Note that the symbol @ in an e-mail address reads (is read) as at and that the full stops read (are read) as dot. Thus the address reads as Smith at C-U-P dot A-C dot U-K.

The ac.uk in the example address tells you that the address is based at a university in the United Kingdom.

Vocabulary:

subnet	подсеть
query	запрос
mailer	почтальон (программа доставки электронной почты адресату)
email software	программа для электронной почты
remote	удаленный
virtual circuit	виртуальная цепь, виртуальный канал (последовательность логических соединений между передающим и принимающим компьютером)
down	не работающий; не функционирующий (о компьютере)
undeliverable message	недоставленное сообщение

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the IP address?

2. What is an undeliverable message?

Task 10

1. Study the examples of e-mail addresses

[e-mail]	‘cindylewis (all one word) at demon dot co dot UK’
cindy-lewis@ demon.co.uk cindy_lewis@ demon.co.uk cindy.lewis@ demon.co.uk	‘cindy dash lewis at demon dot co dot UK’ ‘cindy underscore lewis at demon dot co dot UK’ ‘cindy dot lewis at demon dot co dot UK’

2. Say the following e-mail addresses

[e-mail]

[e-mail]

[e-mail]

[e-mail]

[e-mail]

Task 11

1. Translate the following words and phrases.

attachments

Internet Service

Provider

text file

open attachments

image file

download (email

messages)

modem

access (the Internet)

computer

sound file

e-mail program

e-mail messages

e-mail address

Internet

B. Read the text below. Use the words from part A to fill in the gaps making any necessary changes.

Cindy Lewis is a journalist. She works for Gender, a weekly magazine on the (a)_________. Cindy writes the problem page for the magazine. Cindy has two young children so she doesn’t work in the magazine office every day, she works at home using her (b)_________. Every morning she checks her (c)_________. She switches on her computer and her (d)_________. She starts Outlook Express. This is the (e)_________ which Cindy uses. She (f)_________ her e-mail messages. She usually receives about 35 messages every day. Most of the messages come from the Gender office, but she also gets messages from friends and colleagues around the world. They send messages to her (g)_________. Sometimes they just send messages with (h)_________. Some friends send longer pieces of writing in a (i)_________, or photographs in an (j)_________, or even music in a (k)_________. Cindy can (l)_________ these _________ and see the texts, pictures or listen to the recordings. Cindy’s e-mail address is [e-mail]. Demon is a company which Cindy uses to (m)_________ her e-mail and the Internet. Demon is an ISP, an (n)_________.

Do you know?

There is no official, universal name for the sign @. There are dozens of strange terms to describe the @ symbol. Several languages use words that associate the shape of the symbol with some type of animal.

For instance, some quirky names for the @ symbol include:

apenstaartje - Dutch for "monkey's tail"

snabel - Danish for "elephant's trunk"

kissanhuta - Finnish for "cat's tail"

klammeraffe - German for "hanging monkey"

papaki - Greek for "little duck"

kukaс - Hungarian for "worm"

dalphaengi - Korean for "snail"

grisehale - Norwegian for "pig's tail"

sobaka - Russian for "dog"

More on the symbology

Before it became the standard symbol for electronic mail, the @ symbol was used to represent the cost or weight of something. For instance, if you purchased 6 apples, you might write it as 6 apples @ $1.10 each.

A story tells us that the @ symbol was used as an abbreviation for the word amphora. Amphora was the unit of measurement that determined the amount held by the large terra cotta jars that were used to ship grain, spices and wine. Giorgio Stabile, an Italian scholar, discovered the @ symbol in a letter written in 1536 by a Florentine trader named Francesco Lapi.

Task 12.

A. Study the text below.

Tо access the Internet, you need an account with an ISP (Internet Service Provider). High-speed internet connections are called broadband or ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line). These allow very fast downloads of documents, music and even full-length TV programmes and films.

Some ISPs have their own content: news, information and so on, but many do not - they just provide a portal to the Internet. You log on by entering your password, and you can then surf to any site on the Worldwide Web.

If you're looking for information about a particular subject, you can use a search engine like Google. Selling goods over the Internet is e-commerce or e-business. With online shopping, customers can click on items and add them to their shopping cart before going to the checkout and paying for them with a credit card. Business-to-consumer, or B2C, is selling to the members of the public on the Internet. Business-to-business, or B2B, is the sale of goods, supplies etc between businesses, using the Internet.

Mobility is becoming increasingly important. If your laptop has a wireless connection, you can connect to the Internet and surf the web. You can also use a small computer called a PDA (Phonal digital assistant) or a smartphone (= a type of mobile phone) to do this.

B. Complete each of the following statements.

1 If you want to obtain up-to-date information about any possible subject, you need ________ to the Internet.

A accede В access С accession D acceleration

2. To be able to find the information you want, your computer needs to have a good ___________.

A search machine В search tool С search engine D search device

3. Buying things on the Internet is_______.

A e-shopping B e-business С e-buying D e-commerce

4. Shopping on some websites is like going round a supermarket with a cart and then going to the __________ .

A checkout B check-in С check mark D check-up

5. People who use the Internet are becoming more and more_______- they want to be able to use it wherever they are.

A emotional B moving С mobile D motivated

TEXT 5: E-BUSINESS (SELLING ON THE INTERNET)

Should you sell your products and services on the Internet? Offering your customers this option may be an important service for your business and may bring you new sales from around the globe.

A few strategies for handling online sales are outlined below. If you think that selling via the Internet is for you, you'll want to stay abreast of the topic - keep up with news in the traditional media and on the Web.

Use Email, Fax and Phone to Complete Transactions

A low-budget solution for Internet sales is to "sell" your product on your web site by inviting customers to complete the transaction using email, fax or phone (800 number). The disadvantage of this method is that customers may not send you all the information you need to complete the sale; obtaining the additional information could be time-consuming and costly. Also, since the customer would need to initiate a second step off-line to make the purchase, your chances of sale are reduced.

Fill-in Forms

Adding forms (possibly using CGI [computer graphics interface] scripts or other techniques) to your web site allows your customer to quickly "fill in the blanks" of an order form for your products at that moment online. Customers can place an order immediately while they're still excited about what they've seen on your web site. (You can build a database of order information from these sales for future promotions as well.)

Your web page designer adds the script to your web site, and your Internet Service Provider (ISP) sets up a system for sending you the information collected from your forms.

Shopping Cart Software

Shopping Cart software allows customers to make selections (by checking a box, for example) as they move from page to page on your site. At the end of shopping a completed order form is generated and displayed to your online customers. They either proceed to check out or they have the opportunity to revise the order until it's complete.

Secure Financial Transactions

Transmitting credit card information over the Internet remains somewhat of a barrier to Internet sales. Many ISPs offer secure network services to prevent customers' financial information from being easily stolen. SECs or Secure Electronic Transactions allow users to send a credit card account number to a merchant in encrypted or scrambled form. The merchant, using a special code, can electronically and automatically verify the validity of the card and the user with a bank.