April 2001
Beginner
432 pages
10h 27m
English
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Chapter 1. COMPUTERS ARE TOOLS
Computers are tools that help people get their work done. They are special tools because, unlike a hammer or saw, a computer is multifunctional. When a computer needs to perform a specific job, a program directs the computer and tells it exactly what to do and how to do it.
The highlights of this chapter include the following:
At its most basic level, a computer program turns raw data into meaningful information.
Fortunately, no math skills are required to program computers!
A computer information system requires more than just hardware to be useful.
Networked, distributed computing adds challenges for programmers.
Computer hardware changes rapidly; networked computers are becoming a standard programming platform.
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O’Reilly covers everything we've got, with content to help us build a world-class technology community, upgrade the capabilities and competencies of our teams, and improve overall team performance as well as their engagement.Julian F.
I wanted to learn C and C++, but it didn't click for me until I picked up an O'Reilly book. When I went on the O’Reilly platform, I was astonished to find all the books there, plus live events and sandboxes so you could play around with the technology.Addison B.
I’ve been on the O’Reilly platform for more than eight years. I use a couple of learning platforms, but I'm on O'Reilly more than anybody else. When you're there, you start learning. I'm never disappointed.Amir M.
I'm always learning. So when I got on to O'Reilly, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are playlists. There are answers. There's on-demand training. It's worth its weight in gold, in terms of what it allows me to do.