Multimedia. What Is a Computer Virus?

Multimedia means information presented and stored as a combination of text, graphics sound and motion video. In PC environment, multimedia mostly refers to software published CD-

ROM. CD-ROM discs are just like audio compact discs except that they can hold about 650 MB of data. Since multimedia software includes mostly games and educational packages requiring large amounts of storage space. CD-ROM discs are the most suitable distribution medium around.

To use CD-ROM discs you need a CD-ROM drive. The information is recorded by the disc manufacturer, you cannot rewrite the disc's contents. It is possible to get equipment for recording onto a CD-ROM disc but presently the prices are rather high. If you are planning to buy a CD-ROM drive, an important thing to look at is the spin speed. The spin speed can be single, double, triple and quadruple. In order to play modem multimedia and video, at least a double-speed CD-ROM drive is necessary. Some latest multimedia software requires a quadruple-speed player and also extra software to decode compressed video. Ordinary music CDs can be played on CD-ROM drive too. If you are using Windows 3.11 you will have to install some extra software that is supported with almost every CD-ROM drive software set. Windows 95 users can benefit from the CD Player application that is an ordinary Windows accessory. You can even create a personal playlist for your music CD. A play list enables you to skip and repeat tracks or play them in random order.

To hear sound from your computer you need a sound card and a pair of speakers. It is possible to connect a stereo unit on the sound card, too. The purpose of the sound card is to convert analog signals into a line of numbers, in other words, digital audio. It could be said that a sound card and a CD-ROM drive belong together. Although a sound card is not necessary for using a CD-ROM, you need it for playing all the sound clips found on entertainment and educational CDs.

Currently available sound and video control and editing software includes a good choice of tools to view, cut and paste data. If you are interested in mixing and editing your own multimedia clips, make sure that your hard disc is large enough. For example, five minutes of audio sampled at the highest rate will take several megabytes of disc space. An hour of conventional audio CD music amounts to almost 500 MB of data.

 

Vocabulary:

accessory - приложсние

game - игра

rewrite - переписать

amount to - количество до

medium - средний

sample - пример

audio compact disc - аудио компакт диск

mix - смешивать

set - установить

combination-сочетание

motion video - видео

single - одиноный

compressed -сжатый

ordinary - обычный

skip - пропускать

conventional

pair of speakers докладчики

sound - звук

decode - расшифровать

player - плеер

sound card - звуковая карта

digital audio - цифровой звук

playlist - список

sound clip - звуковой клип

distribution - распространение

quadruple - счетвербнный

spin speed - скорость

double - двойной

random - случайный

stereo unit

educational package - обучающий пакет

rate - темп

supply - снабжение

entertainment - развлечения

record - запись

track - дорожка

repeat - повторять

triple – тройной

 

What Is a Computer Virus?

It is an executable code able to reproduce itself. Viruses are an area of

pure programming, and, unlike other computer programs, carry intellectual

functions (on)protection from being found and destroyed. They have to fight

for survival in complex conditions of conflicting computer systems. That's

why they evolve as if they were alive.

Yes, viruses seem to be the only alive organisms in the computer environment, and yet another their main goal is survival. That is why they may have complex crypting/decrypting engines, which is indeed a sort of a standard for computer viruses nowadays, in order to carry out processes of duplicating, adaptation and disguise

It is necessary to differentiate between reproducing programs and Trojan horses. Reproducing programs will not necessarily harm your system because they are aimed at producing as many copies (or somewhat-copies) of their own as possible by means of so-called agent programs or without their help. In the later case they are referred to as "worms".

Meanwhile Trojan horses are programs aimed at causing harm or damage to PC's. Certainly it's a usual practice, when they are part of "tech-organism", but they have completely different functions.

That is an_important point. Destructive actions are not an integral pan of the virus by default. However virus-writers allow presence of destructive mechanisms as an active protection from finding and destroying their creatures, as well as a response to the attitude of society to viruses and their authors.

As vou see. there are different types of viruses, and they have already been separated into classes and categories. For instance: dangerous, harmless, and very dangerous. No destruction means a harmless one, tricks with system halts means a dangerous one, and finally with a devastating destruction means a very dangerous virus.

But viruses are famous not only for their destructive actions, but also for their special effects, which are almost impossible to classify. Some virus-writers suggest the following: funny, very funny and sad or melancholy (keeps silence and infects). But one should remember that special effects must occur only after a certain number of contamination's. Users should also be given a chance to restrict execution of destructive actions, such as deleting files, formatting hard disks. Thereby virus can be considered to be a useful program, keeping a check on system changes and preventing any surprises such as of deletion of files or wiping out hard disks.

It sounds quite heretical to say such words about viruses, which are usually considered to be a disaster. The less person understands in programming and virology, the greater influence will have oh him possibility of being infected with a virus. Thus, let's consider creators of viruses as the best source.