Tallinn Research Group (TRG)
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Aladjev V., Hunt
Ü., Shishakov M. Fundamentals
of Computer Informatics.
Textbook: TRG &
Russian Academy
of Noosphere, Tallinn-Gomel, 1997.-
396 p.
This book introduces students and professionals in the different fundamental and applied fields to the Fundamentals of the computer informatics. Dramatic changes in information processing strategies and technologies have resulted in a variety of approaches to teaching introductory and training courses in computer sciences and informatics. Although no book can be all things to all people, we believe we have developed an approach that is not only unique, but may also help to bring back some of the consensus to the introductory and training computing market. The major features of this book can be noted as follows.
The main objective is to teach computing concepts to people who will be end-users, those who need some background in why computers are such an integral part of organizations today as well as how they can use them. Our approach is to strike a balance between the why and the how of computer use. Most books are heavily oriented toward either main-frames or microcomputers. A very little books are oriented toward analogous and hybrid computers, which play extremely important role in the numerous applications in the different areas. We provide a proper balance among the types and levels of computing. We use the more familiar, easy-to-grasp micro concepts to introduce readers to the other types and levels of computing power. We make it clear that microcomputers, minicomputers, mainframes and supercomputers are conceptually similar, differing primarily in speed, cost, capacity.
Moreover, we focus on the ways in which computers can be organized to provide very high productivity, using parallel principles of computing and nontraditional computer architectures. In consequence of which we included the discussion of the sequential and parallel formal computing models - Turing machines and Cellular automata.
In order to introduce readers to hands-on computer use an overview of the number of popular applications packages is presented. This packages cover general informatics topics such as programming (Turbo-Pascal) and applications (Word processing - Ms Word; Spreadsheet - Ms Excel; Graphics - AutoTouch; Mathematics - Mathematica; Electronic mail - WinComm and some others). This is an ideal introduction to tutorials designed to be used in the many organizations of the different trends. The book can be useful for two basic courses: (1) short courses emphasizing the fundamentals of computing with only generic coverage of applications software, and (2) courses that combine computing fundamentals with tutorials teaching specific applications software packages.
Moreover, we focus on the way in which micros, minis, and mainframes can be linked or networked to provide capabilities that far surpass those of any single level of computing and make the type of computing power almost transparent to the user.
The book consists of seven chapters; each chapter describes means and technology of the general topics of the modern computer informatics. The general structure of the book can be presented as follows:
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1. Brief Historical Excursus to Computing Technique
1.1. Manual Stage of Computing
1.2. Mechanical Stage of Computing
1.3. Electro-mechanical Stage of Computing
1.4. Electronic Stage of Computing
1.5. The Generations of Computers
Chapter 2. The General Formal Computing Models
2.1. Sequential Models of Computing (Turing Machines)
2.2. Parallel Models of Computing (Cellular Automata)
Chapter 3. The Architecture of the Modern HardWare
3.1. Architecture of Computers of General Classes and Types
3.1.1. Analogous Computing Technique
3.1.2. Hybrid Computing Technique
3.1.3. Discrete Computing Technique
3.2. How Information is Represented in Computers
3.3. Boolean and Computer Logic
3.4. The Components of the Modern Computers
3.4.1. Architecture of the Central Processing Unit
3.4.2. Organization of the Primary Storage
3.4.3. Organization of Addressing and Command Systems
3.4.4. Organization of the Input/Output Control System
3.5. The System of Computer Periphedrals
Chapter 4. The Architecture of the Modern SoftWare
4.1. The General Principles of Software Organization
4.2. The System Software
4.3. The Software Development Languages
4.4. The Applications Software
4.5. The Qualitative Characteristics of Software
Chapter 5. The Introduction to the Modern Programming
5.1. The Modern Languages and Systems of Programming
5.2. The Elements of Programming with Turbo-Pascal
5.3. The Modular and Structured Programming
5.4. The Object-Oriented Programming
Chapter 6. The Modern Applications Software for PCs
6.1. The Word Processing Packages (Ms Word, Adobe Exchange)
6.2. The SpreadSheet Packages (Ms Excel)
6.3. The Computer Graphics Packages (AutoTouch)
6.4. The Mathematical Packages (Mathematica)
6.5. The Database Management Systems (DBMS)
6.6. The Expert and Knowledge Base Management Systems
Chapter 7. The Computer Telecommunications Systems
7.1. The Electronic Mail (WinComm)
7.2. The Local and Global Computer Networks
7.3. Understanding the Internet and Internet Services
References
About the Authors
Tallinn Research Group (TRG)