| The Basics: Hardware, OS, and Software |
| 1 |
Introduction: Course Overview; Inside the CPU |
Madnick, Stuart. Little Man Computer. |
| 2 |
Computer Architecture: Processing, Memory and I/O |
Optional: How Computers Work. Parts 1-5.
PC Webopedia - Hardware Category Page
PC Webopedia - PC Definition and Links |
| 3 |
Computer Representations; Compression |
Optional: Blelloch, Guy E. Introduction to Data Compression. Carnegie Mellon University, 2001. Available online at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science.
PC Webopedia - Data Formats Category Page
Terms to look up: binary, floating-point numbers, character set, ASCII, HTML, bitmap, Postscript, PDF, data compression, MPEG |
| 4 |
Operating Systems |
Optional: Introduction to Operating Systems. Part of: Mohr, James. The Linux Tutorial, 2003.
PC Webopedia - Operating Systems Category Page
Terms to look up: operating systems, multitasking, virtual memory, file management system, file allocation table, Windows, Linux |
| 5 |
Software Development |
Gibbs, W. W. Software's Chronic Crisis. In Scientific American. September 1994, pp. 86-95.
PC Webopedia - Programming Languages Category Page
Terms to look up: programming language, compiler, interpreter, Java |
| Databases |
| 6 |
Relational Databases; Database Queries Using SQL |
Elmasri, and Navathe. Fundamentals of Database Systems. Benjamin/Cummings, 1989, Chapter 7 (plus pp. 143-144).
PC Webopedia - Databases Category Page |
| 7 |
An Introduction to Microsoft Access |
Recommended Textbook: Viescas, John L. Running Microsoft Access 2000. Microsoft Press, 1999. |
| 8 |
Relational Database Design |
Watterson, Karen. Visual Basic Database Programming. Addison-Wesley, 1994, pp. 12-43. |
| 9 |
Introduction to User Interface Building with Access Examples |
Recommended Textbook: Viescas, John L. Running Microsoft Access 2000. Microsoft Press, 1999. |
| Networks and Telecommunications |
| 10 |
Telecommunication Concepts; Data Transmission |
Fitzgerald, and Dennis. Business Data Communications and Networking. 6th ed. Wiley, 1999, pp. 83-92, 107-129.
Optional: Dodd, Annabel Z. Basic Telecom Concepts. Chapter 1 in The Essential Guide to Telecommunications. Prentice Hall, 1999.
PC Webopedia - Networks Category Page |
| 11 |
Local Area Networks; Ethernet; Packet-switched Networks |
Fitzgerald, and Dennis. Business Data Communications and Networking. 6th ed. Wiley, 1999, pp. 192-216. |
| 12 |
Midterm Exam - In Class |
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| 13 |
Wide Area Networks; The Internet |
Fitzgerald, and Dennis. Business Data Communications and Networking. 6th ed. Wiley, 1999, pp. 30-33, 164-189.
Optional: An introductory (but fun!) tutorial on how the Internet works is available: Tyson, Jeff. How Internet Infrastructure Works at HowStuffWorks. The same site contains lots of interesting tutorials on related concepts as well. |
| 14 |
Wireless Network Technologies |
Noll, A. Michael. Wireless Telephone Service. Chapter 9 in Introduction to Telephones and Telephone Systems (Third Edition). Artech House Telecommunications Library, 1999. |
| Distributed Computing and Web Technologies |
| 15 |
Client/Server, Peer-to-Peer and the WWW |
Orfali, R., et. al. Client/Server Survival Guide. 3rd ed. Wiley, 1999, Chapters 2-3.
Sadoski, Darleen. Client/Server Software Architectures--An Overview. Carnegie Mellon University, 2004.
Optional: Milojicic, Dejan S., et. al. Peer-to-Peer Computing. Hewlett-Packard Laboratories Palo Alto, 2002. Paper No. HPL-2002-57. Available at the HP Labs web site.
PC Webopedia - Client/Server Computing Category Page
Terms to look up: client/server architecture, fat client, thin client, two-tier, three-tier, middleware |
| 16 |
Security I: Public Key Cryptography |
Zimmerman, Phil. An Introduction to Cryptography. Included in freeware documentation to Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) software program, which is downloadable.
Behar, R. Who's Reading Your E-Mail. Fortune. February 3, 1997, 57-70.
PC Webopedia - Security Category Page
Terms to look up: biometrics, virus, macro virus, antivirus program
PC Webopedia - Encryption Category Page
Terms to look up: symmetric-key cryptography, DES, public-key encryption, RSA, Pretty Good Privacy |
| 17 |
Security II: Digital Signatures; Network Security |
Zimmerman, Phil. An Introduction to Cryptography. Included in freeware documentation to Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) software program, which is downloadable. pp. 11-36 (also skim Part 2).
Introduction to SSL. Available on the Web.
PC Webopedia - Encryption Category Page
Terms to look up: authentication, digital signature, digital certificate, PKI, SSL, digital cash, smart card |
| 18 |
Evolution of Web Technologies |
Orfali, R., et. al. Client/Server Survival Guide. 3rd ed. Wiley, 1999. Chapters 26-27.
Optional: Wright, R. The Man Who Invented the Web. Time, May 19, 1997.
Optional: Technology Forecast. pp. 545-592.
PC Webopedia - World Wide Web Category Page |
| eBusiness Applications |
| 19 |
Under the Hood of a Commercial Web Site |
Davis, Jeffrey. How it Works. Business 2.0. February 2000, pp. 112-140.
Optional: Technology Forecast. Pp. 357-472. |
| 20 |
Data Mining, Data Warehousing |
Two Crows Corporation. Introduction to Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery.
Optional: Technology Forecast. pp. 253-310. |
| 21 |
Software Agent |
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| 22 |
Student Presentations I |
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| 23 |
Student Presentations II |
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| 24 |
Trends in eBusiness Technology; Course Wrap-up |
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| 25 |
Final Exam - In Class |
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