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With a database you can store, organize and retrieve a large collection of related information on computer. If you like, it is the electronic equivalent of an indexed filing cabinet. Let us look at some features and applications of a computer database:
·Information is entered on a database via fields. Each field holds a separate piece of information, and the fields are collected together into records. For example, a record about an employee might consist of several fields which give their name, address, telephone number, age, salary and length of employment with the company. Records are grouped together into files which hold large amounts of information. Files can easily be updated: you can always change fields, add new records or delete old ones. With the right database software, you are able to keep track of stock, sales, market trends, orders, invoices and many more details that can make your company successful.
·Another feature of database programs is that you can automatically look up and find records containing particular information. You can also search on more than one field at a time. For example, if a managing director wanted to know all the customers that spend more than £7,000 per month, the program would search on the name field and the money field simultaneously.
If we had to summarize the most relevant advantages of a database program over a card index system, we would say that is it much faster to consult and update, occupies a lot less space, and records can be automatically sorted into numerical or alphabetical order using any field. The best packages also include networking facilities, which add a new dimension of productivity to businesses. For example, managers of different departments can have direct access to a common database, which represents an enormous advantage. Thanks to security devices, you can share part of your files on a network and control who sees the information. Most aspects of the program can be protected by user-defined passwords. For example, if you wanted to share an employee’s personal details, but not their commission, you could protect the commission field.
Other features like mail merging, layout design and the ability to import and export data are also very useful. In short, a database manager helps you control the data you have at home, in the library or in your business.
B) Using the information in the text, complete these statements.
1. A database is used to ……….
2. Information is entered on a database via ………
3. Each field holds ………….
4. “Updating” a file means …………
5. The advantages of a database program over a manual filing system are …………
6. Access to a common database can be protected by using ……………...
IV. Puzzle
Complete the sentences by using a term from the list. Then write the words in the crossword to find the hidden message.
| database | field | layout | merging | record | sorted | updated |
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1. In order to personalize a standard letter, you can use ‘mail………….’ (a technique which consists of combining a database with a document made with a word processor).
2. Records can be automatically …………. into any order.
3. You can decide how many fields you want to have on a ………...
4. Files can easily be ………… by adding new information or deleting the old one.
5. A …………. program can be used to store, organize and retrieve information of any kind.
6. The …………. of the records can be designed by the user.
7. Each piece of information is given in a separate ………………….
V. Writing
Imagine that you are Barry Stephens, the sales manager of Sunrise Computers. Write a standard letter to your clients about “New software products on the market” and offer them a free documentation disk.
Unit VIII
Multimedia
I. Warm – up
Name the fields where multimedia applications are used.
II. Vocabulary
A) Match the terms with their definitions.
| 1. multimedia 2. optical disk 3. compatibility 4. animation | a) it exists between two computers if programs can be run on both without any change or it refers to those applications that are executed in specific types of computers b) it refers to the integration of existing technologies of audio, video, animation and telecommunication with computing c) the process of creating and recording process images that change over time d) a storage device in which data is recorded as microscopic "pits" by a laser beam. The data is read by photoelectric sensors which do not make active contact with the storage medium. |
III. Reading
A) Read the texts and match them with the headings in the list.
· Sound, Music, MIDI.
· CD-ROM is more than just heavy metal.
· CD-ROM titles full of pictures action and sound!
· The potential of using multimedia.
Multimedia magic!
1…………………….
Until now multimedia applications have been used mainly in the fields of information, training and entertainment. For example, some museums, banks and estate agents have information kiosks that use multimedia. Several companies produce training programmers on optical disks, and marketing managers use presentation packages (like Microsoft PowerPoint or Lotus Freelance Graphics for Windows) to make business presentations. All these people have found that moving images, sound and music involve viewers emotionally as well as inform them, make their message more memorable.
2…………………….
Sound is an important component of the multimedia approach. The effective use of sound can used to grab the attention of he participant, set mood or underscore a point. The most popular way of delivering sound is the hardware sound board. Such boards offer two important capabilities. The first of these a built-in stereo synthesizer complete with a built-in audio amplifier. Just connect set of speakers and you've got instant sound music and speech capabilities. The second capability is the Musical Instrument Digital Interface, MIDI. This is a specialized serial interface that allows an electronic musical instrument to communicate with other instruments or PCs.
3…………………….
Between 80 and 90 per cent of all multimedia applications are distributed on CD-ROM, some just on CD, some on several media (as with Autodesk’s Multimedia Explorer, which comes with both a CD-ROM and diskettes). The CD-ROM's popularity in multimedia is simple a single CD can contain 660 MB of data. That's over 500 floppy disks' worth of programs, sound and graphics. The newest CD-ROM standard, CD-ROM XA (for extended Architecture) uses data compression to fit even more on these shiny disks. Many XA drives are also compatible with Kodak's Photo CD technology, that digitizes photographs and places them on a CD-ROM.
4……………………….
Electronic encyclopedias integrate text, pictures and sound, and usually have a video section with a full motion video window. The Compton's Multimedia Encyclopedia enables you to read about whales, look at photos of whales, listen to whale songs and view an animated sequence showing whale movements through the ocean. Similarly, the Grolier Encyclopedia lets you read about birds, view pictures of birds, and listen to recordings of their songs. Another interactive CD-ROM is Cinemania from Microsoft. This has information on thousands of films and photographs, reviews, biographies and even dialogues films
B) Read the text again and correct these statements. There is a technical mistake in each of them.
1. Multimedia applications do not use huge amount of data.
2. PCs usually include a built-in sound card/board, so you don't need to add pound capabilities to ran multimedia applications.
3. Most multimedia software is distributed on magnetic disks.
4. Kodak's Photo CD technology is not compatible with many CD-ROM drives.
5. Microsoft's Cinemania is an electronic encyclopedia.
C) Match these terms with the explanations (a) – (e).
1. Computer animation
2. Video computing
3. MIDI interface
4. CD-ROM player
5. Multimedia system extension
a) An operating system designed for multimedia work
b) A code that describes musical information so that both computers and musical instruments can understand the same instructions.
c) A drive used to handle CD-ROM disks.
d) Manipulating and showing moving images recorded with a video camera or captured from a TV or video recorders
e) Moving images on the screen that have been collected and combined from many sources.
IV. Writing
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