Objectives

After reading this chapter, you should be able to answer the following questions:

What does it mean to be "computer fluent"?
How does being computer fluent make you a savvy computer user and consumer?
How can becoming computer fluent help you in a career?
How can becoming computer fluent help you understand and take advantage of future technologies?
What kinds of challenges do computers bring to a digital society and how does becoming computer fluent help you deal with these challenges?
What exactly is a computer and what are its four main functions?
What is the difference between data and information?
What are bits and bytes and how are they measured?
What hardware does a computer use to perform its functions?
What are the two main types of software you find in a computer?
What different kinds of computers are there?

Chapter 1: Why Computers Matter to You: Becoming Computer Fluent