INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING REVIEWER

Introduction to Profession
The Computing Industry
- By 2020, there will be 1 million more IT jobs than computer science
students in the United States.
- 1.4 million computing jobs
- 400,000 computer science students
CompTIA
- IT jobs will continue to grow at projected increase of 17% by 2020.
o Median US salary: $51,939
o Web developer: $62,500
o Computer programmer: $86,170
o Median IT salary: $82,904
o Information and security analyst: $86,170
o Computer network architect: $91,000
o Computer and information research scientist: $102,190
o Computer and information systems manager: $120,950
- 10 HIGHEST PAYING JOBS OF 2015
- 1. IT/Computer (Software) - What is the computer equipment field?
2. IT/Computer (Network, system, database admin) o Manufacturers and distributors of computers and computer-
- IT provides: related hardware.
o Great pay o Careers involve design, manufacture, and production of computer
o High Demand equipment.
o Flexible lifestyle - What is the computer software field?
o Companies that develop, manufacture, and support software.
CompTIA o Team for a Project
 Association of Better Computer Dealers (ABCD)  Business analyst
 Founded in 1982  Scrum master
 To create an open dialogue between IT vendors and partners.  Development manager
 In 1990, the name was change to Computing Technology Industry  Solutions architect
Association.  Back-end developer
 It’s about:  UX front-end developer
 Quality assurance
 Deployment
o Business Analyst
 Project manager – scope and status
 Business user – user requirements
 Other stakeholders – expectations and constraints
 Testing – functional and nonfunctional requirements
Careers in the Computing Industry  Software developer – functional and nonfunctional
- Primary areas where job opportunities are found: requirements
o Computer Equipment Field  Project sponsor – business sponsor
o General Business and Government Organization o Project Manager
o Computer Software Field  Stakeholders
o Computer Service and Repair Field  Analyst
o Computer Sales  Designer
o Computer Education and Training Field  Programmer
o IT Consulting Field  Tester
o Scrum Roles
- What is an Information Technology Department?  A different way of thinking, a better way to drive success
o Focuses on the success of computer operations and other  Differ from traditional project roles.
information technologies needs within a business.  Delivers more business value, faster.
o Responsible for providing the infrastruction for automation.  Product owner
o Implements the governance for the use of network and operating  The holder of product value
systems, and it assists the operational units by providing them the  Determines what needs to be done and sets the
functionality they need. priorities to deliver the highest value
- What jobs are available in IT Department?  Traditional approach: controls the work
 Development Team
 The self-organizing group
 Takes on and determines how to deliver the chunks of
work in frequent increments
 Traditional approach: gets told what to do by the project
manager
 Scrum Master
 The servant leader
 Protecting the scrum process and preventing
distractions
  Traditional approach: no equivalent
- What is the computer service and repair field?
o Provides preventative maintenance, component installation, and
repair services
o Computer technician — installs, maintains, and repairs hardware
- What are career opportunities in computer sales?
o Computer salespeople – need general understanding of
computers and specific knowledge of the product they are selling
- What are career opportunities in education and training?
o Schools, colleges, universities, and private companies need
educators and trainers.
o Corporate trainers teach employees how to use software, design
and develop systems, and program.
- What is an IT consultant?
o Individual who draws upon expertise in specialized area of
computers - What is computer engineering (CpE)?
o Teaches students how to design and develop the electrical
Preparing for a Career in the Computer Industry components found in computers and peripheral devices.
- What is a TRADE SCHOOL? o Required courses include application and systems programming,
o Offers program in programming, web development, graphic data and file structures, networks, and operating systems.
design, hardware maintenance, networking, PC support, and - How do companies advertise computer related job openings?
security. o Some Web sites specialized in helping people find jobs.
o Students can complete trade school programs in shorter time than  Some allow job seekers to submit resumes online.
college or university programs. - What are some organizations for computer professionals?
- What are the three broad disciplines in higher education that produce the o Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) — science-oriented.
majority of entry level employees in the computer industry? o Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) —
programmers, systems analysts, and information processing
managers.

- What is a user group?

o Collection of people with common computer equipment or
- What is computer information systems (CIS)?
software interest.
o Programs that emphasize technical knowledge and skills.
o Sometimes called management information systems (MIS) or
management information technology

- What is professional growth and continuing education?

o Events such as workshops, seminars, conferences,
conventions, and trade shows.
- What is computer science (CS)?  CES — trade show that brings together hundreds of
o Programs that stress theoretical side of programming and vendors and more than 130,000 attendees.
operating systems.
o Also called software engineering
 o Training in form of books, video-based training, computer-based - CompTIA Linux+
training (CBT), Web-based training (WBT), and instructor-led o Covers common tasks in major distributions of Linux,
training. including the Linux command line, basic maintenance,
- How can you stay informed about the computer industry? installing and configuring workstations, and networking.
o Computer industry publications. - CompTIA Network+
o News, blogs, and technical web site. o Covers the configuration, management, and
- What is certification? troubleshooting of common wired and wireless network
o Process of verifying technical knowledge in a particular area. devices. Also included are emerging technologies such as
o Proficiency is acknowledged with certificate. unified communications, mobile, cloud, and virtualization
technologies.
Get Certified, Get Noticed - CompTIA Project+
- 93% of hiring managers believe IT certifications are valuable in validating o Designed for business professionals who coordinate or
expertise manage small-to-medium size projects, inside and outside of
- 80% of employers reward their staff for passing certification exams with IT. The exam certifies the knowledge and skills required to
an increase in salary or pay, public recognition, bonus or promotion. manage the project life cycle, ensure appropriate,
- Certified employees communication, manage resources, manage stakeholders,
1. Are more confident. and maintain project documentation.
2. Are more knowledgeable. - CompTIA Security+
3. Reach job proficiency more quickly. o Covers network security, compliance and operation
4. Are more reliable. security, threats and vulnerabilities as well as application,
5. Perform at higher level. data and host security. Also included are access control,
identity management, and cryptography.
Certification - CompTIA Server+
o Covers server architecture, administration, storage, security,
networking, and troubleshooting as well as disaster
recovery.

IT Certification

- Options available in preparing for certification

1. Self-study
2. Instructor-Led training
3. Training partners
4. Exam objectives
5. Sample questions
- What are examinations like?
o Taken using computers.
o Some are multiple choice, others are skill based.
o With computerized adaptive testing, the tests analyze a person’s
responses while taking the test.
- CompTIA A+
o PC hardware and peripherals, mobile device hardware,
networking and troubleshooting hardware and network
connectivity issues.
o Covers installing and configuring operating systems including
Windows, iOS, Android, Apple OS X and Linux. It also addresses Introduction to Computers
security, the fundamentals of cloud computing and operational What Is a Computer?
procedures.  A computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of
- CompTIA Cloud+ instructions stored in its own memory
o Competency in cloud models, virtualization, infrastructure,
security, resource management and business continuity.
- CompTIA Mobility+
o Covers mobile device management, troubleshooting, security
Collects data Procedures
such as remote access concerns and threat mitigation, and Processing information
network infrastructure. (input) (output)
- CompTIA CSA+
o Verifies that successful candidates have the knowledge and skills
required to configure and use threat detection tools, perform
data analysis and interpret the results to identify vulnerabilities, Information processing cycle
threats and risks to an organization, with the end goal of securing
and protecting applications and systems within an organization. The Components of a Computer
 A computer contains many electric, electronic, and mechanical
components known as hardware
o Input device - Allows you to enter data and instructions into a
computer.
 o Output device - Hardware component that conveys information Networks and the Internet
to one or more people.  The Internet is a worldwide collection of networks that connects millions
o System unit - Case that contains the electronic components of of businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, and
the computer that are used to process data. individuals.
o Storage device - Records (writes) and/or retrieves (reads) items
to and from storage media. Evolution of Internet
o Communications device - Enables a computer to send and
receive data, instructions, and information to and from one or
more computers or mobile device.

The Display Devices

 Enables users to view the text and graphical data output from a
computer
 Commonly connect to the system unit via cable
 May vary the size and shapes as well as the technology used.
 Common terms: display, monitor, screen, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Computer Software
flat Panel monitors.  Software, also called a program, tells the computer what tasks to perform
and how to perform them.
The Input Devices o System Software
 Enables users to enter data or instructions into a computer.  Operating system
 Can connect to the system unit via a cable or wireless connection.  Utility program
o Application Software
The Peripherals Devices  Installing is the process of setting up software to work with the computer,
 Enhances the functionality of practicality of any personal computer. printer, and other hardware.
 Also called as external devices that can provide alternative input or  A programmer develops software or writes the instructions that direct the
output methods or additional data storage. computer to process data into information.
 Can be connected via cable or wireless connection.
 Some have their own power source, others draw power from the Categories of Computers
system. 1. Personal Computers
- A personal computer can perform all of its input, processing, output,
THE COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER and storage activities by itself
- Printer (output device) - Two popular architectures are the PC and the Apple – Desktop
- Optical disc drive (storage device) computer
- Hard disc drive (storage device) 2. Mobile Computers and Mobile Devices
- System unit (processor, memory, and storage device) - Mobile computers
- Monitor (output device) o Personal computer you can carry from place to place
- Web cam (input device) o Examples include notebook computers, laptop computers, netbooks,
- Speaker (output device) ultra-thins, and Tablet PCs
- Mouse (input device) - Mobile device
- Keyboard (input device) o Computing device small enough to hold in your hand
- Microphone (input device) o Examples include smart phones and PDAs, ebook readers, handheld
- USB flash drive (storage device) computers, portable media players, and digital cameras
- Scanner (input device) - Notebook computer
- Memory card (input device) - Tablet PC
- Card reader/writer (storage device) - Smart phones and PDAs
- External hard disc (storage device) - E-Book reader
- Modem (communications device) - Handheld computers
- Portable media player
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Computers - Digital camera
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES - Mobile digital devices
Speed Health risks o Small form factor
Reliability Violation of Privacy o Wireless network connectivity
Consistency Public safety o Local nonremovable data storage
Storage Impact on labor force  Laptops
Communications Impact on environment  Tablets
 Common components
 Green computing involves reducing the electricity consumed and  Touch screen display
environmental waste generated when using a computer  Virtual keyboard
 Strategies include:  Solid state storage
 Recycling  Variable characteristics
 Regulating manufacturing processes  Size
 Extending the life of computers  Operating System
 Immediately donating or properly disposing of replaced computers  Smartphones
 iPhone
Networks and the Internet  Android smartphones
 A network is a collection of computers and devices connected together,  Windows smartphones
often wirelessly, via communications devices and transmission media.  Phablets
  Larger than smartphones Computer Applications in Society
 Smaller than a tablet  Education
 Wearable Technology  Finance
 Mobile computing devices  Government
 Designed to be work under, with, on or top of a clothing  Health Care
 Smart cameras  Science
 Digital camera with a mobile operating system installed  Publishing
 Processor, memory, and cellular and Wi-Fi support  Travel
 Apps for editing, organizing, and storing photos  Manufacturing
 E-Readers
 Generally tablet sized but with less functionality
 Can hold hundreds of e-books and digital periodicals
 Enhanced readability
 Longer battery life
 GPS Device
 Global Positioning System
 Provides navigational directions to reach specified
destinations.
3. Game Consoles
- A game console is a mobile computing device designed for single-player
or multiplayer video games.
4. Servers
- A server controls access to the hardware, software, and other resources
on a network
o Provides a centralized storage area for programs, data, and information
5. Mainframes
- A mainframe is a large, expensive, powerful computer that can handle
hundreds or thousands of connected users simultaneously
6. Supercomputers
- A supercomputer is the fastest, most powerful computer
o Fastest supercomputers are capable of processing more than one
quadrillion instructions in a single second
7. Embedded Computers
- An embedded computer is a special-purpose computer that functions as
a component in a larger product

Elements of an Information System

1. Hardware
2. Software
3. People
4. Data
5. Procedure

Examples of Computer Usage

1. Home user
 Personal financial management
 Web access
 Communications
 Entertainment
2. Small Office/Home Office User
 Look up Information
 Send and receive e-mail messages
 Make telephone calls
3. Mobile user
 Connect to the other computers on a network or the internet
 Transfer information
 Play video games
 Listen to the music
 Watch movies
4. Power user
 Work with multimedia
 Use industry-specific software
5. Enterprise user
 Communicate among employees
 Process high volumes of transactions
 Blog