Discovering Computers 2004: A Gateway to Information, Brief

By Misty E. Vermaat and Gary B. Shelly

For the past three decades, the Shelly Cashman Series has effectively introduced computers to millions of students - consistently providing the highest quality, most up-to-date, and innovative... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0789567024
• ISBN13: 9780789567024
• Release Date: February 2003
• Publisher: Course Technology
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 2.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.0" x 0.8" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A Solid Foundation in Computer Concepts

i received a b.s. in mgt/mis in the 80s and recently took a self-paced community college course that used this as a textbook as part of a 2nd degree program i am pursuing. i wanted to refresh/update my knowledge in the field. this is a comprehensive overview of computers presented in a clear way with wonderful study aids. i particularly enjoyed the programming, enterprise systems, and networking chapters. it also covers career fields within IT. what really makes this book outstanding is the website that comes with it. at the end of each chapter are tests and tutorials which you can do online. the labs are excellent and i loved the one on chapter 4 which explained the guts of the computer and then had you build one! it had you draw a network diagram and assign ip addresses. these types of tutorials really help "lock in" the subject matter. students today have the best tools to learn. i wish i had this 20 years ago!! i recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about/brushing up on computer skills. for folks out of school, this is a great way to get the lingo. to check out the online version go to [...]. each chapter is summarized on this site with a wealth of information to learn and explore.

ALL INCLUSIVE

Great if you know nothing about computers. Easy to read and understand. Great as a refresher if you DO know something about computers, you may even learn something new

Great Beginner's Text.

DISCOVERING COMPUTERS 2005 is a textbook that we used in an introductory course on computers in business class that I had. The book is a great tool for anyone who has had no experience with computers to those who have had a limited experience working with computers. It provides a foundation of most of the current terms and concepts about computers and how those things are applicable in life. The book is filled with colorful illustrations, current photographs, and detailed graphs. The text is easy to read and with all the illustrations, photos, and graphs it doesn't take very long to read an entire chapter. My only complaint about the book is that for all the key terms and concepts that are introduced, there is no glossary to look those words up. Other than that, it's a great text for an introduction to computers class.

Recommended for beginner - intermediate info sys overview

I have used and continue to use this textbook as the core text for a computer/info tech and society course I teach to community college students. The text is up-to-date (revised yearly), informative, well illustrated, and extremely well supported by the publisher through supplementary teaching, learning and testing materials and website support. My students are initially horified at the price but, as the semester continues, realize that it is actually a bargain and, by the end of the course, many have told me that they have found it to be a valuable addition to their personal library. I don't teach the textbook, I assign the chapters for weekly reading, test the students on the reading assignment at the beginning of class, then discuss the content and supplement it with other material which focuses on the history, development, use and consequences of information technologies. By assigning the chapters for reading and testing each week, I try to ensure that everyone is commonly prepared with the foundation knowledge required for further learning and discussion in class.

Covers everything

Not a lot of depth in any one subject but a great overview. I'm using it to teach an Introduction to IT class to undergrad students.