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Discovering Computers, 2002, Concepts for a Digital World
Web Enhanced
Shelly, Cashman, Vermatt
Course Technology
Office 2000
Introductory Concepts and Techniques
Enhanced Edition
Shelly, Cashman, Vermaat
Course Technology
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We will study the history and development of the electronic digital computer. We will look at the technical aspects of computer hardware and software. We will consider some of the popular computer applications in use today. We will also talk about what the future of computing might hold. There will be readings from the text and from other books and articles assigned. We will start to become familiar with the "suite" of programs contained in Microsoft Office 2000 -- a word processor, a data base, a spread sheet, and a presentation program. We will look at the massive computer network known as the Internet. We will learn to use e-mail and the World Wide Web. We will construct our own websites on the Manhattanville web site.
There is a huge amount of information about computers available on the internet. Some sites that you might find of interest are:
A site that gives more information on Bob Cringley's wonderful show Triumph of the Nerds is
There is a "Virtual Museum of Computing" at
http://www.museums.reading.ac.uk/vmoc
The BLINKENLIGHTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE is rather clever. It is found at
http://www.blinkenlights.com/pc.shtml
For a brief history of the Internet, see Hobbes' Internet Timeline at
http://info.isoc.org/guest/zakon/Internet/History/HIT.html
A fascinating set of primary sources can be found at
http://www.isoc.org/internet-history
There will be two exams, each counting 17% of the final grade. There will be various projects using the Office 2000 applications, a paper, and a World Wide Web site counting 30%, some "homework quizzes" counting 6%, and a final exam counting 30%.
Monday and Thursday, 2:0 - 4:00 and by appointment
Room 8, Brownson Wing
Telephone: 914 323 5324
I can, of course, always be reached by email at