COMPUTER BASICS FOR HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS

The keyboard is one of the most important components of a personal computer because it is the primary device through which a person communicates with a computer. The keyboard attaches to the system with a coiled cable. On many machines this cable stretches about six feet, which permits the keyboard to be positioned wherever it will be the most functional or comfortable, even on a person’s lap. Many manufacturers build two forms of feedback into keyboards: tactile and audio. Tactile feedback...

Bootstrap: A program that starts a computer. Cursor: A patch of light or other visual indicator that shows where a person is working in a body of text. DOS: Disk Operating System. This is IBM’s version of the operating system1 which controls many of the functions of the computer. Directory: Tables of contents that lists programs and files that are stored sequentially on a diskette or hard disk. In short, a directory that describes the layout of records within a file. Operating System: A...

There is no better place to begin, than the beginning This chapter is designed to accomplish two things: 1. Provide a basic understanding of how to work with a personal computer. 2. Serve.is guidelines for materials to include in personal computer training programs. The information in this chapter assumes no prior knowledge of or experience with a personal computer. Anyone who has a comfortable working relationship with a personal computer may wish to skim over this section to get ideas...

As noted earlier, there are software products for just about anything and everything imaginable. From games to programs designed to enhance professional development or monitor diet and nutrition, the list of possibilities seems almost limitless. Business software falls into the following categories: Database management Decision support Word processing Communications Specialized use programs Integrated software programs DATABASE MANAGEMENT Database management software allows for recording,...

While computers trace their lineage back several hundred years, most of the advances that led to modern computers have taken place since the late 1940s. Most people think of computers as large cabinets with spinning tapes and blinking lights, which are locked behind security doors. This describes mainframe units—the large machines that process high volumes of information for businesses and governments. Since the invention of the microchip (very small transistors), a new generation of...

While sheer volume can sometimes be a deterrent to learning about personal computers, what happens after a person begins the educational process can also bring things to an exasperating halt. This is largely due to: The language and jargon associated with computers The fact that software and other instruction manuals are written almost as an afterthought, and represent the last priority for most manufacturers. If there is one factor that can be cited for scaring people the most about...

Many managers and executives who are working with personal computers are doing more of the work they used to delegate to their subordinates or secretaries. Higher ranking managers and executives are doing their own word processing, creating and maintaining mailing lists, assembling organization charts, developing budgets for their operating areas, and working on any Computing number of similar types of application programs and databases. Access to personal computers can actually create more...

This particular category applies to a surprisingly large number of people, many of them in management and executive positions, who are being asked to pass judgment on the acquisition and placement of personal computers in their organizations. Typing skills and knowledge of keyboards have generally been the province of those working in secretarial or clerical positions, dominated primarily by women. Only in the last decade have typing skills become more universally accepted as important to...

Clearly, the machine no longer belonged to its makers . TRACY KIDDER , The Soul of a New Machine Computers have been around a lot longer than most of us would like to believe. As a matter of fact, the computer’s lineage can be traced back to 1642 when Blaise Pascal, a French mathematical genius, invented the first real calculating machine. Pascal’s machine used a combination of rotating wheels and gears to perform simple problems of addition and subtraction. In 1833 Charles Babbage, an...

What goes on inside a computer is a mystery to most people, and even a little frightening to some. Actually, it is a fairly simple process - Whether we are talking about a supercomputer or one that can sit on top of a desk, all function in the same general way. To understand how computers operate, we first have to break them down into several basic elements: 1. Input 2. Central processing unit (CPU) 3. Memory or storage 4. Output Information is put into the computer through any of several...

One big contributor to computer phobia is the fear of not knowing enough about computers. Many people are simply overwhelmed the first time they sit down at a system by the thought that they.ire going to have to learn everything about it. As noted previously, one explanation for this may be found in the various. Opinions people have of what constitutes computer literacy and the levels of knowledge that might be necessary. Another is the widespread belief that to be truly effective requires...

Thanks to Madison Avenue, Hollywood, and a horde of science fiction writers, some people have come to believe that computers have minds of their own and are capable of thinking for themselves. While there is some interest and developmental research in the field of artificial intelligence (the so-called fifth generation of computers, which would be able to learn from experience and improve their own performance on any given task), computers. We know them today are basically stupid. This is an...

No issue is as confusing, perplexing, or as potentially explosive as copying software. Since the inception of the Xerox machine our society has grown increasingly copy oriented. From making photocopies of books and magazines to taping record albums, live broadcasts, and movies, people have come to believe they have a right to reproduce things whenever they choose to. This same belief carries over to computer software, and personal computers make copying such materials an easy task. The...

Computers store and process information in records and flies (see Figure 19). A record is a collection of related items that are stored in memory. A file is a collection of related records that are treated as a single unit. For example, you have sent a group of letters to a company called Jim’s Shoes and PC Emporium. Within the computer, the file becomes “Jim’s Shoes.” Each letter sent (and stored) represents one record of that file, as can be seen in Figure 20. When you create a file, you...

The world of personal computers is one of Apples, Lisa’s, Macintosh's, Compaq’s, Commodores, Eagles, Data Generals, and half a hundred others. While they all function much the same, not all are suitable for the needs of business, industry, or government. For example, many computers found in homes may be fine for video games or for handling a basic budget, but they often lack the capabilities and memory needed to handle most business applications. In business and industry, the IBM Personal...