Course Objectives

• To gain familiarity with an integrated desktop application
• To understand the types of problems for which the applications (word processing, spreadsheets, databases) are to be used. What constitutes a good software solution to these problems? What constitutes a bad software solution to these problems?
• Understanding the types and impact of today's decisions about the information superhighway on tomorrow's society, taxpayers...
• Ability to convert between binary and decimal. Addition and subtraction in binary.
• What are the issues that drive hardware? What are the historical solutions? What are the solutions of the future likely to be like?
• What are the issues that drive system software? What are the historical solutions? What are the solutions of the future likely to be like?
• To gain familiarity with the Internet and Internet applications
• Why are user interfaces important? What are the key questions?
• How does technology affect our culture?

Course Syllabus

1. Functional Literacy (50% of the course)
   1. Operating System Navigation (User Interface, File Hierarchy,..etc)
   2. Applications Software
      1. Word processing
      2. Spreadsheets
      3. Database
      4. Graphics and/or Integration
      5. Internet - Usenet, E-mail, and WWW
2. Conceptual Literacy (30% - 35% of the course)
   1. * Hardware concepts - CPU, RAM, ROM, Secondary Storage, I/O
   2. * Computer Types - Size, Cost, Processing Power
   3. * History
   4. * Telecommunications and Networks
   5. * Operating Systems
   6. * User Interface (Command, Menu, Form Filling, and Graphical)
   7. * Binary Representation and ASCII
   8. Reliability and Interpretation of Computer-Generated Data
   9. Artificial Intelligence
   10. Virtual Reality
   11. * Shopping for a Microcomputer
   12. Ergonomics
   13. Multimedia
3. Societal Issues (5% - 10% of the course)
   1. * Personal Privacy Issues
   2. * Computer Crime
   3. Impact Upon Employment
   4. * Computer Ethics
   5. Computer Viruses
   6. Ways Computers are used in Our Society
4. Instructors discretion (10% of the course)

* It is mandatory that these topics are covered.

General Policy

• At least one project should be given for each of the major types of application software.