Chapter 1 & Chapter 2

CHAPTER 1: DIGITAL LITERACY

The first chapter I learned in the MKA2013 class was discovering computers. People nowadays need to involve in digital literacy. Digital literacy is something that involves having a current knowledge and understanding of computers, mobile devices, the Internet, and related technologies. So, a computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory. Besides the computer, there are Laptop, Tablet, Desktop, and Server.

1.   Data and Information

There are a few terms that you need to know, which are input, output, memory, and storage. Input is a place where, or a device through which, energy or information enters a system. The example of the input device is a scanner which is a light-sensing input device that converts printed text and images into a form the computer can process. While the output is a place where power or information leaves a system. The example of the output device is a printer which is an output device that produces text and graphics on a physical medium such as paper. Next, a storage device, it records (writes) and/or retrieves (reads) items to and from storage media and memory consists of electronic components that store instructions waiting to be executed and the data needed by those instructions. The example of storage and memory device is the hard disk, USB flash drive, and cloud storage.

2.   The Internet

The Internet is a worldwide collection of networks that connects millions of businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, and individuals. The World Wide Web(www) or web, for short, is a global library of information available to anyone connected to the Internet. The web consists of a webpage. A website is a collection of related web pages. A web server is a computer that delivers requested web pages to your computer. Besides, a browser (chrome, firefox), search engine (yahoo, google), an online social network (Instagram, Facebook) are the example of what are have on the internet.

3.   Digital Safety and Security

It is important that users protect their computers and mobile devices from viruses and other malware, privacy, health concerns, and environmental issues. So, people need to install the system program into their computer like utility program (antivirus, firewall) to protect their computers and mobile devices.

4.   Programs and Apps

A software also called a program, tells the computer what tasks to perform and how to perform them. There is two type of software, which are System software and Application software. The example of system software is operating system (Windows) and utility program (firewall, antivirus), while the example of application software is the Microsoft word, excel powerpoint, and pdf.

5.   Communications and Networks

In the course of a day, it is likely you use, or use information generated by, one or more of these communications technologies. A communications device is hardware capable of transferring items from computers and devices to transmission media and vice versa. Examples of wireless communications technologies include WI-Fi, Bluetooth, and Cellular Radio. While a network is a collection of computers and devices connected together via communications devices and transmission media.

CHAPTER 2: THE INTERNET

1.   Evolution of the Internet

The Internet originated as ARPANET in September 1969 and had two main goals:

• Allow scientists at different physical locations to share information and work together.
• Function even if part of the network were disabled or destroyed by a disaster.

2.   Connecting to the Internet

With wired connections, a computer or device physically attaches via a cable or wire to a communications device. Computers without a communications device can use a wireless modem. The example of wired is Cable Internet service, DSL (digital subscriber line), and Fiber to the Premises (FTTP). While the example if wireless is Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity), Mobile broadband, Fixed wireless, and Satellite Internet Service.

Figure 1

In addition, a cybercafé is a location that provides computers with Internet access, usually for a fee, while a hot spot is a wireless network that provides Internet connections to mobile computers and devices. An Internet service provider (ISP) is a business that provides individuals and organizations access to the Internet free or for a fee like Unifi, TM, and Celcom. Bandwidth represents the amount of data that travels over a network either Megabyte (MB) or Gigabyte (GB). Next, an IP address is a sequence of numbers that uniquely identifies each computer or device connected to the Internet. A domain name is a text-based name that corresponds to the IP address like com, my, gov, and etc. A DNS server translates the domain name into its associated IP address.

Figure 2

Figure 3

3.   The World Wide Web 

The World Wide Web (WWW), or web, consists of a worldwide collection of electronic documents (web pages). There are a few thing did you need to know:

• A browser is an application that enables users with an Internet connection to access and view web pages on a computer or mobile device.
• A home page is the first page that a website displays.
• Desktop browsers typically support tabbed browsing.
• A webpage has a unique address called a web address or URL

Moreover, a web app is an application stored on a web server that you access through a browser, like webmail and online auction. Web app hosts usually provide storage for users’ data and information on their servers, known as cloud storage. Web publishing is the development and maintenance of websites. The steps are Plan the website > Design the website  > Create the website > Host the website > Maintain the website

4.   Types of Websites

There are many types of websites. Before you read about it, you need to know what is a search engine. The search engine is software that finds websites, web pages, images, videos, news, maps, and other information related to a specific topic. The example of the search engine is Yahoo, Google, Bing, and etc. Besides, a subject directory classifies web pages in an organized set of categories, such as sports or shopping, and related subcategories. In addition, the Search operators can help to refine your search. Figure 4 shows the example of search operators.

Figure 4

Now we talk about types of website. Officially, there are thirteen types of Web sites, which are 

• Online social network.
• Informational.
• Media sharing and bookmarking sites.
• News, weather, sports, and other mass media.
• Educational.
• Business, Governmental, and Organizational.
• Blogs.
• Wikis.
• Health and Science.
• Entertainment.
• Financial.
• Travel and Mapping.
• Shopping and Auctions.
• Careers and Employment.
• E-Commerce.
• Portals.

5.   Media on the Web

Multimedia refers to any application that combines text with Graphics, Animation, Audio, Video and Virtual Reality. A graphic is a digital representation of nontext information.

Graphics formats include BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, and TIFF.

An infographic is a visual representation of data and information, designed to communicate quickly, simplify complex concepts, or present patterns or trends. An animation is the appearance of motion created by displaying a series of still images in sequence.

Audio includes music, speech, or any other sound are compressed to reduce file size. So, you listen to audio on your computer using a media player. The video consists of images displayed in motion. Virtual reality (VR) is the use of computers to simulate a real or imagined environment that appears as a three-dimensional space.

A plug-in is a program that extends the capability of a Web browser

6.   Other Internet Services

Email is the transmission of messages and files via a computer network. An email program allows you to create, send, receive, forward, store, print, and delete email messages. An email list is a group of email addresses used for mass distribution of a message. Instant messaging (IM) is a real-time Internet communications service. A chat is a real-time typed conversation that takes place on a computer or mobile device while a chat room is a website or application that permits users to chat with others who are online at the same time. A discussion forum is an online area in which users have written discussions about a particular subject.