Chapter 1.Introduction

Introduction

Computers are showing up everywhere you look, and even in places you can't see. Computers check out your groceries, pump your gas, dispense money at the ATM, turn the heat on and off, control the way your car runs. They're everywhere! They're everywhere! In fact, the computer is rapidly becoming, if it hasn't already gotten there, as tightly woven into the fabric of our lives as the automobile. The analogy runs quite deep. Computers play a key role in how individuals work and how they live. Even the smallest organizations have computers to help them operate more efficiently, and many individuals use computers at home for educational, entertainment, and business purposes. In this session, you will learn the basics about computers, the history of computers, the different categories of computers, hardware and software, and maintaining your computer. You will also learn about computer applications in education and explore various technology issues that are related to computers such as security, privacy and ethics.