Computer Concepts 4th Edition Parsons/Oja CHAPTER 6 Page 252 Consumer’s Guide Section A The Computer Marketplace

Computer Concepts 4th EditionParsons/Oja

CHAPTER

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Consumer’s GuideSection A

The ComputerMarketplace


Section D

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Section A

Read a computer ad and understand how the technical specifications affect price and performance

Explain why there are so many models of computers at so many different prices

Section PREVIEW

You will be able to:



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You need to understand the technical specifications describing a computer to make an intelligent purchase decision.



Selecting a Microprocessor

Does the microprocessor affect the price of a computer?

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Microprocessor (processor)– core component in a computer– featured prominently

Manufacturer– Intel created first processor for IBM– AMD produces “work-alike” processors

for PC-compatible computers


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Processor models– Chipmakers assign model numbers or

names to processors– Chip model indicates processor’s

architecture– Each model features enhancements

Celeron processor– same instruction set as Pentium– less expensive




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Speed– Measure of clock rate; the number of

instructions processed per second Cache capacity

– tied to processor model– not of particular significance

Level 1 cache - built into processor Level 2 cache - housed on separate chip

– faster than Level 1 cache

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Benchmark test - set of standard processing tasks that measure performance of computer hardware or software.


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Amount of RAM depends on operating system and application software you plan to use.– at least 32MB of RAM to run Windows– most of today’s computers include 128MB– less expensive than in the past

SDRAM - Synchronous Dynamic RAM– volatile memory circuitry that runs in

synchronization with bus– faster than other types of RAM

RAM: Requirements and Cost

How much RAM is enough?

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Floppy Disk Drives

Do I need more than one floppy disk drive?

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You only need one floppy disk drive for your computing needs.

Many computers also include a Zip drive– good for backing up and transporting large

files• 100MB or 250MB capacity


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Hard Drive Specifications

What’s Ultra ATA?

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Storage capacity of hard disk drive (hard drive) is measured in gigabytes (GB).– most computers today are shipped with at

least 10 GB of hard disk capacity Hard disk speed is specified in access time.

– today’s computers have access times between 6 ms and 11 ms

Hard disk speed is also measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).


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Disk drives are classified by type of controller, a mechanism that positions the disk and read-write head to locate data.

Popular drive controllers include– Ultra ATA– EIDE– SCSI

Ultra ATA are twice as fast as EIDE. SCSI - slight performance advantage over

EIDE

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What’s Ultra ATA?


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DMA (direct memory access) drive allows a computer to transfer data directly to a drive into RAM, without intervention from the processor.

A computer with an Ultra ATA drive that implements DMA transfer has the fastest drive access.

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What’s Ultra ATA?


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A DVD-ROM drive is more likely to be included with more expensive systems.– can read CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-

ROM, and DVD movie formats Costs about $100 to substitute a DVD-ROM

drive for a CD-ROM drive

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CD and DVD Drives

Should I get a CD or a DVD drive?


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Inexpensive to upgrade an input device

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Input Devices

Should I settle for a standard keyboard and mouse?

Microsoft’s NaturalKeyboard may helpprevent computerrelated injuries.


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Notebook pointing devices provide a portable alternative to a conventional mouse.

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Input Devices

Should I settle for a standard keyboard and mouse?

Track point Trackball Touchpad


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Sound cards convert digital data in a sound file into analog signals for instrumental, vocal, or spoken sounds.– different manufacturer than computer

manufacturer• Turtle Beach, Diamond, Creative Labs

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Sound Systems

What’s wavetable synthesis, and do I need it?


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Sound Blaster - one of the first sound cards designed for PCs.– became de facto standard– most sound cards feature Sound Blaster

compatibility Wavetable synthesis creates music by

playing digitized sound samples of actual instruments.– larger wavetable size (64, 128, 512), the

more realistic the sound

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Sound Systems

What’s wavetable synthesis, and do I need it?


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CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors have similar technology to television sets.– inexpensive and dependable

LCD (liquid crystal display) produces images by manipulating light within a layer of liquid crystal cells.– compact, lightweight, easy to read– standard on notebook computers– flat-panel displays available for desktop

computers

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Computer Displays

Should I get a CRT or an LCD display?


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Advantages of LCD– display clarity– low radiation emission– portability– compactness

May be triple price of CRT

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Computer Displays


Flat panel LCD monitorrequires small amountof desk space


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Screen size is the measurement in inches from one corner of the screen diagonally across to the opposite corner.

Viewable image size (vis) - black border that makes image size smaller than size specified.

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Computer Displays


As with a TV, a monitor’s viewable image size is lessthan the screen size.


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Dot pitch - a measure of image clarity– smaller dot pitch means a crisper image

Maximum resolution - maximum number of pixels a monitor can display– Today’s typically have a maximum resolution

of 1280 x 1024

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Computer Displays



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All new computers include a graphics card.– fastest cards fit in AGP expansion slot

Accelerated graphics card can greatly increase speed which images are displayed.

Graphics cards carry their own memory circuitry called video memory.

Color depth - number of colors that can be displayed at one time.

Today’s video cards contain 8-32MB of video memory.

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Graphics Cards

Is a graphics card an “extra” too?


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Passive matrix screen - relies on timing to make sure the liquid crystal cells are illuminated

Active matrix screen - updates rapidly– essential for crisp display of animation, video– found on newer notebooks

SVGA - (super video graphics array) = 800x600 XGA - (extended graphics array) = 1024x768

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Notebook Displays

What types of display are used for notebook computers?


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When you buy a computer, make sure it has expansion options.

External bay - provides opening for installing a device you need to access from outside case

Internal bay - provides mounting bracket for devices that are not outside the system

Expansion slots are necessary to add peripheral devices.

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Planning for Expansion

How can I make sure that I can expand my computer system?


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A PCMCIA slot is a special type of expansion slot developed for notebook computers.

A PCMCIA card is a credit card size circuit board that contains circuitry and devices, such as a modem or a network interface card.

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PCMCIA slots are classified according to size:– Type 1 - thinnest, for memory expansion– Type 2 - for modems, sound cards, network

cards– Type 3 - thickest, for hard disk drives

Many notebook computers provide a port replicator which allows you to conveniently connect multiple devices.

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Length of time that a notebook computer can work on battery power depends on:– speed of processor– active matrix LCDs– additional peripheral devices

Hot swap- the ability to swap batteries while the computer is on.

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Notebook Power Sources

How long will a notebook computer run on batteries?


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Consumer’s Guide to PrintersSection B



Section D

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Section B

Read a printer ad and understand how the technical specifications affect price and performance

Explain why there are so many models of printers at so many different prices

Section PREVIEW




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Section B

Printers are usually sold separately from computers so that consumers have a choice of quality, features, and price.



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Resolution– printer resolution is measured in dpi (dots per

inch), the number of dots it can print per linear inch.

Color capability– come in color or black and white


Consider the following factors:


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Print speed– measured either by pages per minute (ppm) or

characters per second (cps)– color takes longer than black and white– text prints faster than graphics– ten pages per minute = typical speed




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Printer cost– printers for microcomputers range from $100

to $5000– duty cycle - indication of the number of pages

a printer can be expected to print per month




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Per-copy cost– printers require ongoing costs including

ribbons, ink cartridges, and toner– per copy cost is the cost of printing a page

with an average amount of text, graphics, and color

Warranty– cover mechanical problems




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Ink Jet Printers

What’s the most popular type of printer?

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An ink jet printer is today’s most popular printing technology.– produce low-cost color or

black-and-white printouts– print head consists of a

series of nozzles that sprays ink onto paper

Black ink cartridge Color ink cartridge


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Section B

Laser Printers

Is a laser printer better than an ink jet?

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A laser printer uses the same technology as a photocopier to paint dots of light on a light-sensitive drum.– higher quality than ink jet – more expensive to buy than ink jet– less expensive to operate than ink jet– toner cartridge and drum are approx. $70


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Section B

Laser Printers


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Laser printers use their own printer language to construct a page before printing it.– Printer Control Language (PCL) - most widely

used– PostScript language - preferred by publishing

professionals– printer languages require 2MB - 8MB memory


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Section B

Laser Printers


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Laser printersuse the sametechnology asduplicatingmachines.

Electrostaticdrum

Laser-chargedparticles

Start Video


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Section B

Dot Matrix Printers

Why would anyone want a dot matrix printer?

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Dot matrix printers produce characters and graphics by using a grid of fine wires– introduced in 1970s– low quality output– used for “back-office” applications that

demand low operating cost and dependability– can print multipart carbon forms– $4 ribbon can print 3 million characters


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Multifunction printers take the place of a variety of printing and communication devices such as:– Computer printer– Fax machine– Answering machine– Telephone– Copier– Scanner

Section B

Multifunction Printers

Can I use a computer printer as a copier?

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The Computer IndustrySection C



Section D

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Section C

Find reliable information about computer products Determine which products are of good quality and

value

Section PREVIEW




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Section C

The computer industry consists of corporations and individuals that supply goods and services to people and organizations that use computers.

Before you buy a computer, you should have some knowledge of the computer industry.– effect of product life cycles on price– tiered structure of computer vendors– four market channels– types of publications



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The computer industry is not on an annual cycle. Life cycle of a computer model includes five

phases:– product development– product announcement– introduction– maintenance– retirement

Vaporware - products that are announced but never produced.

Hardware Product Life Cycle

Does the computer industry introduce new models annually?

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Hardware Product Life Cycle

Does the computer industry introduce new models annually?

Weeks

Drop in price of a CompaqPresario 1650 betweenJuly, 98 and August, 99.

As supply and demandreach an equilibrium,price decreases slightly.

high price

low price

average price


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Section C

Software publishers produce computer software.– begins with an idea, then is tested

Alpha test - first phase of testing done in-house Beta test - conducted by off-site testers

– find bugs– can cause unexpected glitches in computer

Software Product Life Cycle

What’s the difference between a version and a revision?


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The original version (release) of a software program is typically called version 1.0– a new version is indicated by a new version

number such as 2.0– a new version is usually a major improvement

Revision - a release of software to fix bugs or make small changes– revision number is separated from the version

number with a period




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Street price - average discounted price of software

Version upgrade price - discounted price for owners of an earlier version of software– must show proof to the vendor

Competitive upgrade - special price for switching to a competitor’s product

Upgrading software is important– less technical support for older versions– may lose eligibility for special pricing


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Industry analysts classify computer companies into three tiers, which helps to explain the price differences between computers.

Market Tiers

What accounts for price differences for same computers from different vendors?

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Top-tier companies– computer business for many years– Apple, Compaq, IBM– more expensive computers– higher overhead costs– responsible for many innovations– financial resources devoted to research and

development

Market Tiers


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Second-tier companies– newer companies– Gateway, Packard Bell– less expensive computers, same quality– high sales volume– less financial resources than first tier– minimal operating costs– limited research and development– small work force

Market Tiers


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Third-tier companies– smaller startup companies– primarily sell through mail order– appear to be less expensive– low overhead costs– may use poor quality components– more likely to go out of business– little to no technical support

Market Tiers


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Section C

Marketing Channels

Is it safe to buy a computer by mail?

Computer hardware and software are sold through marketing outlets or “channels”

Computer retail store– buy from manufacturers and sell to consumers– qualified staff

Mail-order supplier– takes orders by telephone or Internet– limited service and support


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Marketing Channels


Value-added reseller (VAR) - combines commercially available products with specialty hardware or software– designed for needs of a specific industry

Manufacturer direct - refers to hardware manufacturers that sell their products directly to consumers.– use sales force or mail order


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Marketing Channels


The computer industry provides a variety of marketing channels


The Computer Press

Where can I get reliable information about computers to make informed purchases?

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Computer publications provide information on computers, computing, and the computer industry.


The Computer Press


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Computer magazines– contain articles and advertisements for latest

computer products• product evaluation• practical tips

– target users of personal and business computers

– full of product advertisements


The Computer Press


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Computer industry trade journals– focus on company profiles, product

announcements, and sales techniques– target computer professionals– not always available on newsstands


The Computer Press


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Computing journals– offer academic perspective on computers and

computing issues– focus on research in computing– rarely advertise hardware and software– found in university libraries


The Computer Press


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Computer magazines and trade journals maintain Internet sites– articles from back issues– some current issues

Computer company internet sites– product specifications and pricing– product announcements– sales literature– technical support


The Computer Press


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Television shows - provide hardware and software reviews, tips and industry news.

Start Video


The Computer Press


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Industry analysts– Journalists monitor computer industry trends,

evaluate industry events, and make predictions about trends


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Computer Industry CareersSection D



Section D

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Section D

Use technology resources to research career options and create an effective resume

Section PREVIEW




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Section D

Since 1970, high-tech business has produced more than 7000 millionaires and more than a dozen billionaires.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that computer and data processing services will be the third fastest-growing industry between now and 2005.



Computer Industry Job Categories

Does the computer industry include every job that involves a computer?

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Section D

Not everyone who uses a computer is employed in the computer industry.

There are three categories of computer jobs– Computer-specific jobs– Computer-related jobs– Computer-use jobs


Computer Industry Job Categories

Does the computer industry include every job that involves a computer?

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Section D

Computer-specific jobs– computer programmer, Webmaster, chip

designer– require most preparation

Computer-related jobs (variations of generic jobs)• computer sales, graphic design, recruiting

Computer-use jobs– require use of computer– writers, accountants, auto mechanics


Computer Majors

What are the qualifications for computer jobs?

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Section D

Computer engineering degrees require:– engineering, math,

and electronics Careers focus on:

– design of hardware, peripheral devicesat chip level

Start Video


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Section D

Computer science degrees require– good aptitude for math and computer

programming Main object of study and objective

– digital computer and making it work effectively Computer science jobs

– programmers– software engineers– object-oriented/GUI developers

Computer Majors



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Section D

Information systems degrees require:– business, accounting, communications,

system analysis, and human psychology Focus on:

– application of computers in a business or organizational environment

Jobs include:– entry-level programming– PC support– management possibilities

Computer Majors



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Education and experience are the keys to a good computer job.

Try to get experience through– internships– military service– government-sponsored training programs– work-study programs

You can gain additional experience from projects sponsored by clubs and organizations (ACM, AITP, IEEE-CS)

Preparing for a Computer Career

How do I prepare for a computer industry career?


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Many technology companies offer employee-friendly working conditions:– child care– flexible hours– opportunity to telecommute (work from home)

Salaries tend to be higher on the West Coast and in the Northeast section of the United States.

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Working Conditions

What are the advantages to working in the computer industry?


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Using Technology to Find a Job

How do I find a computer industry job?

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The first step in a job search is to assess your qualifications and needs.

Qualifications include:– computer skills– educational background– previous work experience– communications skills– personality


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Several excellent books and Web sites help you assess your qualifications and needs.

A popularcareer Website


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It’s useful to discover what you are worth using Web-based salary reports.

Your resume should include:– career goal– experience– skills– education

Tailor your resume to the corporate culture of each prospective employer.


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Contacting Prospective Employers

How do I get my information out?

It is still standard procedure to mail resumes. Some companies accept faxes and e-mail. You can post your resume on a placement Web

site to be viewed by recruiters.


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User Focus Computer Shopping Strategies



Section D

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Take a systematic approach to shopping for a computer

Section PREVIEW


User Focus Computer Shopping Strategies


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Chapter

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User Focus

Determine Your Needs and Budget

Where do I start?

Set a budget and stick to it. Consider how you plan to use the computer. Consider also:

– notebook or desktop– compatibility– support– warranty– printer LAB

Buying a Computer


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User Focus

Collect the Facts

What information do I need?

Before you make a decision, gather information on pricing, features, and support.

– magazines and Web sites Pay attention to:

– processor manufacturer and model

– processor speed

– RAM capacity

– hard disk capacity

– monitor size

– price


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Chapter

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User Focus

Collect the Facts

What information do I need?

Price quote sites searchthe Web for computerprices offered by a variety of vendors.

Start Screentour


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Chapter

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User Focus

Evaluate the Facts

How do I make the decision?

1. list 2 possible options

2. list important criteria

3. assign weight to each factor

4. assign a raw score for each factor

5. multiply raw score by weight factor to getweighted score

6. Add total weighted scores

Start Screentour

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Computer Concepts 4th Edition Parsons/Oja CHAPTER 6 Page 252 Consumer’s Guide Section A The Computer Marketplace