Text 10. Microsoft Windows Software

With the personal computer market in the early and mid 80′s many companies realized that a graphical user interface was the best way to operate and perform tasks on a computer easily. While several companies created operating systems for PC’s, none

stuck, because there was no support. However, Microsoft had the backing of the computer makers specifically IBM which helped them to legitimize their product and sell their OS Windows. Apple did not license out either its hardware or software to third parties reducing the growth of their computer market share. Windows was originally announced late in 1983, but didn’t come to market until two years later with Windows 1.0.

With the later editions of Windows 2.0 and 3.0 Microsoft included desktop icons and many of the features that are now a staple of home computing today.

During the late 80′s WISYWIG programs (what you see is what you get) were introduced including updates of word processing software and updated spreadsheet programs to make these computer programs for home and small businesses easier and more powerful to use.

 

UNIT 3. IT DEVELOPMENTS

 

READING ACTIVITIES

 

1. Read the text and find the answers to the following questions.

 

1. What frustrating problem does Bluetooth solve?

2. Who first developed Bluetooth?

3. In what ways is Bluetooth particularly suited to portable systems?

4. What do Bluetooth devices share with microwave ovens?

5. List some devices that are suitable for use with Bluetooth.

6. Why is Bluetooth suitable for use on aeroplanes?

7. What factors provide security for Bluetooth communications?

8. How is the output power level of the transmitter set?

9. Why is there no collision detection in the Bluetooth specification?

10. Why are all devices on a piconet synchronised and controlled by a master device?

 

2. Choose the best answer to the question: What are the consequences of Bluetooth having the following characteristics?

a. It is good at avoiding conflicting signals from other sources.

b. The transmitter output level is kept as low as possible.

c. It uses power-saving modes when devices aren't transmitting.

 

BLUETOOTH

 

As portable computing devices get smarter and more capable, connectivity frustrations increase.

This is where Bluetooth comes in. The brainchild of Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Nokia and Toshiba, Bluetooth is a microwave high-speed wireless link system that's designed to work with portable equipment. To that end, it's low power, very small and very low cost. It uses the same frequencies as existing radio LANs (and, incidentally, microwave ovens) to create a secure 1 Mbit/s link between devices within 10m of each other. These devices can be laptops, PDAs, cellphones, wired telephone access points, even wrist watch devices, headphones, digital cameras and so on. With them, your notebook PC will be able to access your cellular phone and thus the Internet — without your having to take the phone out of your pocket. Files can be exchanged and communications set up tor voice and data between just about any device capable of handling the information.

Bluetooth operates in the unlicensed SM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band at 2.45GHz, which is globally available for products.

There's 89MHz of bandwidth allocated here, and since Bluetooth is very low power, it actually radiates less than most national and international standards allow non-transmitting devices to leak as part of their normal operation. This is key, as it allows the technology to operate without restriction on aircraft.

As befits their status as radio frequency experts, Ericsson and Nokia developed the RF side of Bluetooth. The link works in a similar way to the IFEE 802.11 wireless networking system, with a packet-switching protocol based on fast-frequency hopping direct sequence spread spectrum. In other words, it constantly switches channel to avoid interference. It changes frequency 1,600 times a second through 79 frequency bands. It's expected that this will be so good at avoiding conflicting signals from other sources that the transmission power can be kept very low.

Security is taken care of through the frequency hopping and 40-bit encryption. As the system uses radio, it сan work through some barriers — briefcases, shirt pockets and desktops, for example — but it won't carry through office buildings. The power level of the transmitter can be varied, with feedback from the remote side of the link used to set the output to the lowest level commensurate with error-free operation. This saves power and increases the usable density of devices. The device can operate at up to 1mW (an optional power amplifier can increase this to 100mW) and the whole lot consumes between 8mA and 30mA at 2.7V. Various power saving modes can be used when a device isn't transmitting, trailing oil speed of response for battery life. These work with current levels between 300рА and 60pA.

Within the 10m radius of a unit, up to 10 independent full-speed piconets can operate, with bandwidth reduced proportionately if more than this is in use. Each can handle up to eight devices, and can be further subdivided into separate services: 432Kbit/s full duplex data, 72l/56Kbit/s asymmetric duplex, or 384Kbit/s third generation GSM. Each channel can also support three 64Kbit/s full-duplex voice channels. An optional variation in modulation technique would double the basic data rate to 2Mbit/s.

Power consumption and cost were very significant factors in Bluetooth’s design, and it was decided not to make the system a fully-fledged LAN. As a result, there's no collision detection. All devices on a piconet are synchronized to a master device and are controlled by it to prevent simultaneous so operation on the same frequency. Any device can be a master, and is elected dynamically when the link starts up.

The standard is open and royalty-free to members of the Bluetooth special interest group.

 

 

3. Match the terms 1-7 with the statements A-F.

 

1. Bluetooth	A. Radio frequency
2. SM band	B. The number of devices that can be used in the same area
3. RF	C. A microwave high-speed wireless link system designed to work with portable equipment
4. IEEE 802.11	D. Very low power network links between Bluetooth devices
5. Frequency hopping	E. An unlicensed frequency range at 2.45GHz
6. Usable density	F. A standard for networking systems with a packet-switching protocol
7. Piconet	G. Constantly switching channels

 

4. Mark the following as True or False. Correct the false ones.

 

1. Bluetooth is an expensive system.

2. Bluetooth devices can communicate at a distance of up to 20m.

3. The SM band is available throughout the world.

4. Bluetooth has a very low radiation level.

5. Each Bluetooth connection operates at one fixed frequency.

6. Bluetooth signals will pass through walls of buildings.

7. The master Bluetooth device is determined when a link is first established.

 

 

5. Fill in the blanks with the right word or word combination.

1. As portable ________ __________ get smarter and more capable, connectivity frustrations increase.

2. Bluetooth is a microwave ________-_______ ________ system that's designed to work with portable equipment.

3. Bluetooth operates in the __________ SM band at 2.45GHz, which is globally available for products.

4. Bluetooth is very _______ power.

5. The power level of the __________ can be varied.

6. ________ _________ and cost were very significant factors in Bluetooth’s design.

7. The standard is open and _________-_______ to members of the Bluetooth special interest group.

 

6. Read the text FUTURES and find the answers to the following questions.

 

1. What is Professor Cochrane completely convinced of?

2. What is stored in the professor's signet ring?

3. What will change dramatically when we start using rings like these?

4. What is the ВТ lab developing with artificial intelligence?

5. What effect are the professor's AL experiments having on evolution?

6. What does the professor see as the negative side of the electronic revolution?

7. What was the result of combining the Internet with TV?

8. What developments does the professor suggest in the field of biotechnology?

9. According to the professor, what will happen by the year 2015?

 

FUTURES

 

Talking to Professor Cochrane is probably as close as you can get to time travelling without leaving the current dimension, as his vision stretches far into this century and beyond. His seemingly unshakeable conviction is that anything is possible if you really put your mind to it.

Designed for the 21st century, Peter Cochrane's signet ring is built around a chip that holds all the details of his passport, bank account, medical records and driving licence. According to Cochrane, it's set to revolutionise shopping.

The ring is already a fully operational prototype, but it will be some time before you'll be trading your credit card in for the ultimate fashion accessory. It's not just jewellery that's set to get smarter.

One of the biggest projects down at the Lab is looking at artificial intelligence as a way of creating software programs, networks, telephones and machines with a degree of intelligence built in. By sensing their environment, they should be able to develop new capacities as demands change. ‘I have software that is breeding, which is interchanging genes and creating adaptable behavior. This means you'll see the network come alive – it will watch what you do and it will adapt.’

It doesn't stop here, though, as ВТ has taken artificial intelligence one step further and created machines that are solving their own problems. 'We've created solutions that a human being could never have dreamed of. We have solutions, and although we don't understand how they work, they do work. We're effectively increasing the speed of evolution', says Cochrane.

It's already good to talk, but with artificially intelligent phones on the way it will be even better. Cochrane is at present working on smart phones that can translate English into German, Japanese and French in real-time. ‘Some of it’s rocket science, but a lot of it's extremely simple. What we've built is a kernel of understanding inside a machine that extracts meaning from the sentence itself - at the moment we can do simple things such as phrase books’, he says.

The system uses a non-linear approach that sends English to the understanding kernel in the machine and then fans it out to all the other languages simultaneously.

There's no doubt that Cochrane is putting a lot of faith in intelligent machines, particularly when it comes to cutting through the deluge of information that he says is the downside of the electronic revolution. BT's solution is the development of intelligent agents that watch, learn and start communicating.

It's not all work down at the Lab, though. BT's also involved in an on-going trial that it claims will revolutionise our leisure time, in particular the way we watch TV. ‘We put people on the Internet and broadcast TV at the same time, so that the people at home could actually influence what was happening on their TV sets. As a result, it became interactive and therefore more active.’

ВТ has its fingers in multiple pies and has made biotechnology another core focus of R&D. ‘Personally, I think hospitals are very dangerous places to be. There are lots of viable alternatives. For a start, we can stop bunging up hospital wards by putting people online.’ ВТ has already developed a pack for heart attack victims that monitors their progress and uploads information via a radio link back to the hospital.

So what will the future hold for us if Peter Cochrane and his futurologists have their way? Well, by the year 2015, it's likely that we will be eclipsed by a supercomputer more powerful than the human brain. And if that's got visions of Terminator dancing in your head, don't worry - Cochrane's got it covered. ‘I'd really hate one morning to find myself considered an infestation of this planet. Our inclination is to nurture life and not to destroy it. Before we let loose a bunch of artificial intelligence, we ought to be thinking through the necessity of building in a number of rules that hold your life as a human being sacrosanct.'

(Adapted from 'Futures, Celebrity Squares', Professor Peter Cochrane, PC Pro Magazine, February 1998).

7. Match the terms 1-7 with the statements A-F.

 

1. BT	A. A computer program that watches, learns and communicates with the user.
2. Smart phone	B. Most powerful type of computer.
3. Intelligent agent	C. Research and development.
4. Rocket science	D. Transfer data from a client device to a server computer
5. R&D	E. A telephone that can translate English into various languages in real-time
6. Upload	F. British Telecom
7. Supercomputer	G. Very advanced study

 

8. Mark the following statements as True or False. Correct the false ones.

1. ВТ has a lot of new ideas that will astound people.

2. Jewelers that can store large amounts of personal data has started to replace credit cards.

3. BT's smart phone can only translate English into one other language at a time.

4. Intelligent agents can help users deal with an overload of information.

5. Watching TV will be a more active pastime in the future.

6. The professor thinks that humanity will be destroyed by very powerful computers in the future.

 

WRITING ACTIVITIES

 

1. Summarize the key ideas of Professor Cochrane on the future of Information Technology. Give your own comments. Write about 250 words.

2. Search for the latest developments in one area of Information Technology. Make a summary of your findings and write a report. Your report should have the following sections:

 

1. Introduction (area of IT).

2. Body of the report (technology involved, spheres of applications).

3. Conclusion (possible future developments).

Use appropriate linking words or phrases in the LANGUAGE BOX to help you.

LANGUAGE BOX

LINKING WORDS   Also, although, as a result, consequently, therefore, moreover, thus, however, in addition, for example, firstly, secondly, thirdly, in particular, in contrast, to sum it up, finally, it is clear that.

 

UNIT 4. CAREERS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

 

READING ACTIVITIES

 

1. Work in groups of three. Read your text A, B or C and complete the table. You may not find information for each section of the table.

 

	A	B	C
1. Job title
2. Nature of work
3. Formal qualifications
4. Personal qualities
5. Technical skills
6. How to get started
7. How to make progress

Text A. How to become a programming expert

 

The primary requirements for being a good programmer are nothing more than a good memory, an attention to detail, a logical mind and the ability to work through a problem in a methodical manner breaking tasks down into smaller, more manageable pieces.

However, it's not enough just to turn up for a job interview with a logical mind as your sole qualification. An employer will want to see some sort of formal qualification and a proven track record. But if you can show someone an impressive piece of software with your name on it, it will count for a lot more than a string of academic qualifications.

So what specific skills are employers looking for? The Windows market is booming and there's a demand for good C, С++, Delphi, Java and Visual Basic developers. Avoid older languages such as FORTRAN and COBOL unless you want to work as a contract programmer.

For someone starting out, my best advice would be to subscribe to the programming magazines such as Microsoft Systems Journal. Get one or two of the low-cost 'student' editions of С++, Visual Basic and Delphi. Get a decent book on Windows programming. If you decide programming is really for you, spend more money on a training course.

 

Text B. How to become a Computer Consultant

 

The first key point to realise is that you can't know everything. However, you mustn't become an expert in too narrow a field. The second key point is that you must be interested in your subject. The third key point is to differentiate between contract work and consultancy. Good contractors move from job to job every few months. A consultant is different. A consultant often works on very small timescales - a few days here, a week there, but often for a core collection of companies that keep coming back again and again.

There's a lot of work out there for people who know Visual Basic, С++, and so on. And there are lots of people who know it too, so you have to be better than them. Qualifications are important. Microsoft has a raft of exams you can take, as does Novell, and in my experience these are very useful pieces of paper. University degrees are useless. They merely prove you can think, and will hopefully get you into a job where you can learn something useful. Exams like Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer are well worth doing. The same goes for Novel Linux Certification. However, this won't guarantee an understanding of the product, its positioning in the market, how it relates to other products and so on. That's where the all-important experience comes in.

Here's the road map. After leaving university you get a technical role in a company and spend your evenings and weekends learning the tools of your trade - and getting your current employer to pay for your exams. You don't stay in one company for more than two years. After a couple of hops like that, you may be in a good position to move into a junior consultancy position in one of the larger consultancy companies. By the age of 30, you've run big projects, rolled out major solutions and are well known. Maybe then it's time to make the leap and run your own life.

 

Text C. How to become an ITManager

 

IT managers manage projects, technology and people. Any large organization will have at least one IT manager responsible for ensuring that everyone who actually needs a PC has one and that it works properly. This means taking responsibility for the maintenance of servers and the installation of new software, and for staffing a help-desk and a support group.

Medium to large companies are also likely to have an IT systems manager. They are responsible for developing and implementing computer software that supports the operations of the business. They're responsible for multiple development projects and oversee the implementation and support of the systems. Companies will have two or three major systems that are probably bought off the shelf and then tailored by an in-house development team.

Apart from basic hardware and software expertise, an IT manager will typically have over five years' experience in the industry. Most are between 30 and 45. Since IT managers have to take responsibility for budgets and for staff, employers look for both of these factors in any potential recruit.

Nearly all IT managers have at least a first degree if not a second one as well. Interestingly, many of them don't have degrees in computing science. In any case, the best qualification for becoming a manager is experience. If your personality is such that you're unlikely to be asked to take responsibility for a small team or a project, then you can forget being an IT manager. You need to be bright, communicative and be able to earn the trust of your teams. Most of this can't be taught, so if you don't have these skills then divert your career elsewhere.

 

2. Now share information from your text with others in your group to complete the table for each of the occupations described.

 

3. For which of the careers described are these statements true? More than one career may match each statement.

You may work for only a few days or a week for a company
It's a good idea to buy books on languages such as С++
You are responsible for developing and implementing the software a company needs to run its operations
You need to be able to break down a problem into a number of smaller tasks
It's worth paying for a training course if you get serious about this career
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer is a useful qualification for your career
Your objective is to become self-employed
It's important you have the right personality to lead a team

4. Study these job requirements. Then try to match the requirements1-6 to the following list of jobs A-F.

A	B	C	D	E	F

A. Visual Basic Developer

B. IT Engineer (Network & Database)

C. Web Developer

D. Network Support

E. E-commerce Consultant

F. Team Leader

	· at least 5 years (2 at senior level) in: Unix, SYBASE or ORACLE or Windows OS, Terminal Server, TCP/IP, Internet · strong project management (2 years) · willingness to travel abroad		· minimum 4 years lifecycle development experience · demonstrable skills using VB, SQL, RDBMS · able to develop core s/w · excellent communication skills
	· able to manage, lead and develop a team · knowledge of C, С++, Delphi · experience of object-oriented design within a commercial environment · ability to deliver software projects against agreed schedules and within agreed estimates		· minimum of 18 months commercial experience of Web development · knowledge of HTML, Java, ASP · full portfolio of URLs as examples
	· proven track record in the delivery of e-solutions in banking environment · knowledge of Unix, Windows 1 and Oracle · willingness to travel internationally		· experience of Windows OS, Exchange, Monitoring Software, SQL Server, Verta, TCP/IP · solid grasp of networking · 2 to 5 years experience in a network environment

 

5. Read the text and answer the following questions.

 

1. Why is an IT Certification so important for both experienced and non experienced workers?

2. What are the best IT certifications for 2012?

 

BEST IT CERTIFICATIONS FOR 2012

 

Certifications give experienced workers a chance to master their skills and knowledge. Certifications prove how dedicated a professional is to be in the field they work in. For fresh graduates, it gives a hiring advantage over the competitors. It is a given IT industry fact, that an inexperienced but certified professional, is a better choice than a non-certified one. A certificate can be used as a proof of competency.

Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) tests the skills and expertise in a specific technology. For example, the MCTS ASP.NET certification focuses on the.NET 3.5 ASP.NET suites. There are currently 20 specializations, with 5 broad subject categories which are Office,.NET framework, SQL Server, Windows and business intelligence. This is the first level of certification exams for Microsoft.

Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCTIP) is useful for experienced professionals. It tests the ability to use Microsoft technologies in performing an IT job, like database administrator or server administrator. To have this exam, one or more compulsory MCTS certifications are to be obtained first.

CompTIA A+ is a vendor neutral certification that covers multiple operating systems and technologies. It ensures basic knowledge of software and hardware components. It is intended for professionals, with at least 500 hours of hands-on experience, as the questions are based on practice, not theory. The A+ certification is especially used as a bench mark for computer support technicians, as the key exam areas are installation, networking, maintenance and troubleshooting of computer systems.

Apple Certified Technical Coordinator (ACTC) targets entry-level system administrators, who provide support and maintain Mac OS X client server environment.

Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) is the best Linux certification. It carries out practical exams. It deals with basic system administration. It is the mandatory base exam for higher Red Hat certifications like RHCE.

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is a certification from the nonprofit International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC2). It deals with information and network security. It is highly regarded as an information systems standard. It requires a minimum of 5 years, full-time, security work experience.

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is an ethical hacker or penetration tester employed by a company to penetrate or hack into the network or computer systems, so that weaknesses in the security system can be exposed. As illegal hacking is rapidly becoming a serious threat in any organization, ethical hacking is gaining popularity as a popular testing method for network security.

Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) isinformation security certification. GIAC measures an individual's specific knowledge areas in the field of information security, for nearly 20 job specific responsibilities, like firewall analyst, intrusion analyst or security expert to name a few.

Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) is an advanced certification for experienced professionals in the field of information security. A CISM certificate exam validates an individual's management skills and know-how of large enterprise-level information security handling. It has been accredited by the ANSI and requires at least 5 years of work experience in IT security.

Project Management Professional (PMP) certifies the management know-how and skills of an IT professional in handling projects and tasks at a managerial level within a budget and time limit.

 

6. Match the certification titles 1-5 and its description A-E.

 

1.	Red Hat Certified System Administrator	A	… certifies the management know-how and skills of an IT professional at a managerial level.
2.	CompTIA A+	B	…. is the first level of certification exams for Microsoft.
3.	Certified Ethical Hacker	C	… is Linux certification.
4.	Project Management Professional	D	… is especially used as a bench mark for computer support technicians.
5.	Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist	E	… is a popular testing method for network security

 

 

7. Complete the sentences according to the information in the text.

1. A certificate can be used as a …

- proof of high salary

- proof of competency

- proof of knowledge.

2. IT Certification is important for …

- both experienced and non experienced workers

- experienced workers only

- fresh graduates.

3. Microsoft Certified IT Professional is useful for …

- non-experienced workers

- experienced professionals

- fresh graduates.

4. Apple Certified Technical Coordinator targets …

- top-level system administrators

- both top and entry-level system administrators

- entry-level system administrators.

5. Certified Information Security Manager is a certification in …

- the field of information security

- the field of installation of computer systems

- the field of network security.

 

WRITING ACTIVITIES

 

COVER LETTER AND CURRICULUM VITAE (CV)

 

A resume or CV is a summary of your educational qualifications and work experience. A cover letter or a letter of application is the letter that accompanies your resume when you send it to a company. Both of the documents are vitally important in the job application process.

 

1. Study the key information about a cover letter.

 

COVER LETTER   Start the cover letter by mentioning your address and date. Provide complete postal address so that the recruiter can easily contact you. Mention the employer's name, designation, company’s name, and address below your details. The Recruiter has few minutes or seconds to quickly glance through your resume. Therefore, the first paragraph of your cover letter should include the details of the job profile you are looking for, your technical competencies that make you eligible for the job, the technical and interpersonal skills In the second paragraph of IT cover letters, mention the details of previous work experience and projects. Because you are applying for job in IT sector, you need to place emphasis of technical skills. Those applying for team lead or team consultant position need to mention their technical and interpersonal skills. Provide the details about the domain you worked on, the front end, back end you are well versed with, the web technologies you used. Provide the project you worked for and the clients you worked for. Mention details such as “Work in finance domain, developed android web software for XYZ Company” or “Worked on Perl CGI technology” or “have experience of using Tomcat server and web sphere”, etc. Fresher applying for IT jobs should mention their project and internship details. Even if you do not have much work experience, mention the software languages that you know and your proficiency level in using them. Explain your projects and the details of your contributions such as “Created the software design of the project, drafted the CLD, DFD of the system, helped in designing the interactive GUI of the website”. Avoid mentioning the names of software languages that you are not well versed with. Students can mention the details of various gizmo or technical inter-college programs or competitions. Provide information regarding your participation and contribution in creating technical tools or software. If your project or presentation received any prize during any well-known inter-college competitions, then mention it in your cover letter. College students who have attended any seminar of IT experts on emerging new technologies or any other technical topic can mention about it in brief in the cover letter. End the letter by thanking the recruiter for considering you for the job opening and mention your interest in attending the interview. Make sure you sign the letter before sending it. Provide the details of the documents enclosed in the letter. Your IT cover letters should represent your resume and should not be a copy of your resume. Your cover letter should be readable and error free. It is essential that you use a readable font style and size. The cover letter should contain 3 – 4 paragraphs.

2. Study the samples of cover letter for IT jobs (Appendix 1). Complete the first paragraph of the cover letter. Then write two more paragraphs, explaining the reasons for applying and describing your skills and qualities. Provide complete postal address so that the recruiter can easily contact you. Mention the employer's name, designation, company’s name, and address below your details.

Pay attention to the Writing Tips (Appendix 3).

Dear Mr. _____,   I am writing to apply for a position of ______________, which you advertised in today’s _________. I am very excited by the opportunity you offer and believe that I have the personality and qualifications you are looking for. …

3. Study the information about CV.

CURRICULUM VITAE   Your CV is a summary of your professional/academic life until now, and it usually concentrates on your personal details, education and work experience. Your CV's goal is to get you a job interview. To do this, your CV must be: clear well-organised easy to read concise relevant to the job offered Your CV is the summary of your professional life. There are usually 5 general headings of information to include: personal details - name, address, email and telephone number objective - a headline that summarizes the job opportunity you are seeking work experience - your previous employment in reverse chronological order - with most detail for your present or most recent job education - details of secondary and university education - including the establishments and qualifications (but excluding any that are irrelevant to your career) personal interests - demonstrating that you are a balanced, responsible member of society with an interesting life outside work.