A WORLD OF COMPUTERS

Computers are everywhere: at work, at school, and at home. Many daily activities either involve the use of or depend on information from a computer. As shown in Figure 1-1, people use all types and sizes of computers for a variety of reasons and in a range of places. While some computers sit on top of a desk or on the floor, mobile computers and mobile devices are small enough to carry. Mobile devices, such as many cell phones, often are classified as computers. Computers are a primary means of local and global communication for billions of people. Consumers use computers to correspond with businesses, employees with other employees and customers, students with classmates and teachers, and family members and military per-sonnel with friends and other family members. In addition to sending text-based messages,


people use computers to share pictures, drawings, journals, music, and videos.
Through computers, society has instant access to information from around the globe. Local and national news, weather reports, sports scores, airline schedules, telephone directories, maps and directions, job listings, credit reports, and countless forms of educational material always are accessible. From the computer, you can make a telephone call, meet new friends, share opinions or life stories, book flights, shop, fill prescriptions, file taxes, or take a course.
At home or while on the road, people use computers to manage schedules, balance check-books, pay bills, transfer funds, and buy or sell stocks. Banks place automated teller machines (ATMs) all over the world, so that customers can deposit and withdraw funds at anytime. At the grocery store, a computer tracks purchases, calculates the amount of money due, and often generates coupons customized to buying patterns. Vehicles include onboard naviga-^Tsystems that provide directions, call for emergency services, and track the vehicle if it is stolen.
In the workplace, employees use computers to create correspondence such as e-mail mes¬sages, memos, and letters; calculate payroll; track inventory; and generate invoices. Some applications such as automotive design and weather forecasting use computers to perform complex mathematical calculations. At school, teachers use computers to assist with classroom instruction. Students complete assignments and conduct research on computers in lab rooms, at home, or elsewhere. Instead of attending class on campus, some students take entire classes directly from their computer.fun'Stuff Charts & Graphs.
People also spend hours of leisure time using a computer. They play games, listen to
music or radio broadcasts, watch or compose videos and movies, read books and magazines, share stories, research genealogy, retouch photos, and plan vacations.
As technology continues to advance, computers are becoming more a part of everyday life. Thus, many people believe that computer literacy is vital to success in today's world. Computer literacy, also known as digital literacy, involves having a current knowledge and understanding of computers and their uses. The requirements that determine computer literacy change as technology changes.
This book presents the knowledge you need to be computer literate today. As you read this first chapter, keep in mind it is an overview. Many of the terms and concepts introduced in this chapter will be discussed in more depth later in the book.