Week 2: Clear

There are a wide variety of intricacies that go into computers. Although most of us rarely think about the inputs, outputs and various operating programs that make a computer run smoothly, but it is necessary in the business realm to be well educated on such processes of computers. In recent years, billions of people are connected to one another by computers in one form and another. Although there is a digital divide (gap between high income families and low income families and the disparity of internet access), it is important to realize that nearly all forms of business utilize computers with internet access for most, if not all tasks, one may be responsible for.

Some of the basics regarding computer knowledge are elementary to learn about; unfortunately, a lot of people do not take the time to learn about computer processes because time is spent learning processes only utilized in the job force. Another obstacle regarding computer knowledge is the fact that there are many emerging technologies and it is increasingly hard to become computer literate. One of the initial understandings necessary in order to become computer literate is to understand the information process. The information process cycle explains the ever continuous steps a computer utilizes in order to run. First, there must be an input of some sort to get information flowing such as a keyboard, mouse or scanner. The next step in the cycle is to process the thread of information coming from an external source by utilizing the PC's processor or operating system. Then, after digesting the information, the PC is capable of providing outputs which may show up as words typed on a screen (utilizing a keyboard as an input) or digital pictures showing up in the computer's photo gallery (using a scanner to scan copies of pictures). The last step is crucial in completing the information process and is called storage. Storage utilizes a computer's hard drive to save copies of a document and makes retrieval of information available. Here's a great website to learn the basics of the computer information process: http://www.jegsworks.com/Lessons/lesson1-2/lesson1-1.htm

Once one starts to understand the basics of computing, it is important to continuously learn and update one's knowledge of the capability of computers. Just think about how far human civilization has come in the realm of technology in the past few decades. In the 1950's, computers were as large as a small lecture hall, now we have handheld PC's in the form of telephones such as the iPhone, Palm Pilot and Blackberry. The amount of memory we have on laptops and PC's in general has expanded ten fold where as the amount of space an average size portable computer is roughly the size of a textbook. We are about to communicate via the web with intranets and internet making it easy for one to talk to a friend in China or in the other room with the same capabilities. Additionally, with the invention of the personal computer, we now can utilize various software and internet capabilities never thought possible with updated sound, graphics and video that make one feel he or she is actually at the event he or she is watching. Who knows what will come next involving computer technology, just make sure you continue to make yourself present and continuously learn more about computing as it is important to remain relevant and computer literate.