MIT net Web Server - MIT SA Profile

ΜΙΤ sa - Management & Information Technologies
e-mail: mit_sa@mitnet.gr

Multimedia Applications
Introduction to Informatics - Learning WINDOWS 95

The First Part is a general introduction to Informatics and it is mainly intended for beginners, that is people who up to now never had the opportunity to be involved with this Science and are now taking their first shy steps in the field. However, it is also intended for the educators who teach introductory courses of Informatics, since in this they can find compiled material and information on a variety of subjects.

The material of the First Part is structured in Chapters and Sub-chapters, so that a smooth transition from one chapter to the other is ensured and a continuity which is necessary to the gradual introduction of the reader into the more advanced subjects.

One chapter or subchapter includes in turn pages most of which have a complete content and refer to a specific subject.

The subject of each page is approached in a wholesome manner, since this comprises:

1. Text, which describes the subject in detail
2. Photographs, sketches or a video for the visual correlation of the subject with the text and
3. Sound messages which supplement the text or point out (highlight) the most important points

Furthermore, in each page there are key-words that allow the reader to go to other pages of the Book where the same subject is mentioned or to the word of the Glossary in order to get the respective definition.

The material of the First Part is divided into eight main units. In the first unit there is reference on basic issues and term of Informatics. In the second, there is a historic retrospect starting with the abacus and reaches until the latest types of computer systems. In the third unit, there is coverage of all issues dealing with the Hardware, while in the fourth, all the issues dealing with the Software. The fifth unit is referring to the Data and the ways of coding and processing them. The sixth unit refers to Teleinformatics, an new branch which finds a gradual increase of applications, while the seventh unit includes issues that cannot be listed in the previous units, like, for example issues of Public or Private Education, matters concerning people with special needs, the Ergonomy etc. and it is marked as "Special Issues". The eighth and final unit of the First Part refers to the expected developments of Informatics, according to the predictions of the experts.

The Second Part refers to the new Operational System Windows 95 of Microsoft company. Here also, the structure is similar to that of the first part, that is, there are chapters and subchapters with cohesion and continuity. However, there is a basic difference. Here, the processes, the methods, the algorithms and the video are predominant.

For each process, method, or algorithm there are:

1. Introductory text, where it mentions the necessity, the usefulness and the expediency of the method or of the process
2. Detailed description of the steps required for its implementation
3. Video, where all of the steps of the process are carried out in the actual environment
4. Sound messages, which describe the steps again, but at the time they are carried out.

This triple combination (i.e. text, video and sound) we believe that it contributes significantly so that the reader may fully understand the subject, not to have questions and mainly, not to have to turn elsewhere (to other sources), in order to get answers to her/his questions. In addition, she/he does not have to imagine things, to guess moves or to assume actions, since all, even the most obvious and elementary are displayed and detailed on her/his screen.

The part referring to Windows 95, is not intended only for beginners. It may be an invaluable aid also to those who have been using for a long time Windows 3.1 and MS-DOS and feel that the time is ripe to move on to the new Operation System. For them there are references to the old environment and correlation of the data existing in the new one, but in another form.

Here, it must be pointed out that the Greek version of Windows 95 is being described and that an effort was made in the text, the pictures and the sound messages, for Greek terms to be mentioned and for the Greek language to be used exclusively.

The subjects covered in the Second Part also include:

A brief historic retrospect for Windows, with reference to milestones facts and dates, description of the work area and of the several elements appearing in it, description of the windows, of their properties and of their contents etc.

Particular emphasis is given to the understanding of the terms Folder and Sub-folder, as in the file management and particularly in the subjects: Saving a file, Copying a file, Moving a file, Deletion of a file, Recovery of a file etc.

Part of the advanced subjects are: creation of backup copies, location and restoration of problems in the disk, the defragmentation of the files, the installation of new programs in the system, basic network subjects, issues of security and protection etc.

In addition there is a description of the operation of the most basic auxiliary programs accompanying the new Operation System, such as, e.g. the Painting program, the word processing program WordPad, the Calculator program, the Answering machine etc.

Multimedia Applications Introduction to Informatics - Learning WINDOWS 95

Multimedia Applications
Introduction to Informatics - Learning WINDOWS 95